Veritas Labyrinth
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: What is reality? Reality is a figment of your imagination. If what we perceive is often wrong, how can we ever know what's real and what isn't? AU version focusing on Jo and Zane's relationship before and in Eureka, from the beginning of Season Two to beginning of Season Four.
1. Chapter 1

**Veritas Labyrinth**

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**Summary: What is reality? Reality is a figment of your imagination. If what we perceive is often wrong, how can we ever know what's real and what isn't? AU version focusing on Jo and Zane's relationship before and in Eureka, from the beginning of Season Two to beginning of Season Four. **

**A/N: This is based on a novel I wrote a couple years ago. Since I haven't had the courage to publish it yet, I'd like to get other opinions besides my family and close friends. I might self-publish later on, if I get up the courage. The summary comes from a quote from the TV series _Perception_.**

_September 11, 2012_

He took her hand, squeezing it softly as the taxi brought them closer and closer to the heard of the Business District. Finally, the taxi came to a stop, and they got out. After the cab left, he pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her waist, holding her close. He clutched the little girl's hand, keeping her close to his side, as they entered the memorial. They had been there last year, when the memorial opened, just one of a thousand people who had come to watch as the memorial opened to the public on the tenth anniversary of such a tragic day. After passing through the grove of oaks, they made their way towards the granite and stone memorial.

They leisurely wandered along the North pool, where the North Tower had once stood. Eventually, she stopped at one of the parapets of the North Pool. A moment passed, as she stood staring at the names, her eyes going over each one. He joined her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her head. Their daughter tugged on her sweater, but she ignored her, her fingers finding the names of the four she should have been with that long ago day.

"Mommy? Can I see?" He glanced down, before pulling away from her and kneeling down to scoop his daughter into his arms. The little girl leaned towards the parapet, reaching out to touch the stone. "Who are they?" She asked, turning to look back at her mother. She didn't respond, nor did her father. Instead, he pressed another kiss to her head, whispering,

"People outside had a greater sense of alarm and urgency than the people inside who were in the dark. It was a terrible responsiblity for the people on the outside to have to say 'It's worse than you think.'" She looked up at him; she knew he was referring to the phone calls she'd recieved that dreadful day, as she'd tried to reassure her friends, even as she was whispering what she was able to gather from watching the news. It was a miracle that she'd missed breakfast with her friends- having stayed at his place the night before, and had consequently overslept. She'd been just about to head out of the apartment for the tower when he'd turned the TV on and she'd heard the news.

Not long after, she'd gotten calls; frantic, horrified, then calm, she'd talked to her friends until the tower collapsed, at which point she'd fled the apartment, rushing towards the collapsing buildings instead of away from it as everyone else was doing. For days after, she'd helped search for survivors, her military training kicking in, her work with bomb-sniffing dogs being of use as she worked, searching for any sign of her friends within the rubble that had once been the Twin Towers. She'd seen the images of the first responders, of the firemen and women, of the policemen and the search-and-rescue dogs clambering over the rubble, searching for survivors.

Her husband had framed the newspaper photograph of her; standing in her Army fatigues- for she'd done a tour of duty four months prior, in Somalia, and was currently back from deployment- hair pulled back in a messy bun, reaching up to wipe the dust and sweat from her forehead, her dog Ash at her feet, near an opening in the rubble, barking. She was coated in dust, and it was easy to see the tears in her eyes. The photograph, taken by a photography student attending NYU, had been featured on the cover of Time Magazine, on the front pages of newspapers all around the world after the tragedy. The unknown soldier, standing amidst the rubble, coated in the fine, granulated dust of the towers, wiping sweat from her brow, her IEDs-turned-search-and-rescue dog at her feet, both looking weary and heartbroken over the attacks, had generated a search for the subject for years. Two years earlier, she'd been found, and after a heartfelt talk with her husband, she'd given the interview.

Now, she stood, tracing her friends' names with her finger, the engagement ring her husband had given her sparking on her finger. She choked out a sob, the tears blurring their names, and she leaned back into his husband's chest, burying her face in his shirt. Her daughter's small hands reached out to pat her head, and she choked on a sob. "Who were they, Mommy?" Several minutes passed, with her husband hushing their child softly, before she pulled away, wiping her eyes.

As she reached out to trace the names, her tears dripped onto the stone, hitting each name, leaving a silent message for them.

_Jadie Blythe_

_Tamsen Blythe_

_Caitlan Hertz_

_Gwendolyn Rowley_

"They were my friends, baby." She choked out, turning to her daughter. She pressed a firm kiss to her child's forehead, and whispered, "My very best friends."


	2. Chapter 2

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

_September 11, 2001_

"Josie! I told Jadie we'd be there before eight!"

"I'm coming!" She reached for her drink, turned to go with a smile to the barista, and slammed into the person behind her. Her coffee splashed everywhere, showering both her, the man, the floor and counter. Coffee dripped down her chin and dried in her hair, the thick black braid becoming hard in places when hit by the liquid. He opened his eyes, blinking as the hot liquid ran down his face like tears. He gave her a tense, thin-lipped smile.

"You... forgot your coffee." She blushed, her cheeks turning a hasty pink.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you-"

"Josie! Come on, Jadie's gonna kill us if we're late for breakfast!" The pair turned as a blonde poked her head into the cafe, and after a moment, she burst out laughing. "Oh my God, what happened to you?"

"Bit of a... run-in." She replied, as the blonde ducked back out of the door. Minutes later, she and two companions, a redhead and a brunette, came back inside.

"Okay, I think Jadie will understand once she sees this." The redhead said, holding up a camera and snapping a few photographs.

"Can you just get me some napkins, Gwen?" She snapped. The other girl snorted, but did as told, even as a barista came around to mop up. "I'm sorry about that, but I wasn't expecting you to be here when I turned back around." She glanced at her friends, sitting at a table, watching the interaction with hawk eyes, and blushed, turning back to him. "Here, let me help." She began dabbing at the stain on his shirt, but he pulled away, quickly removing the shirt. Thank god he'd decided on an overshirt today too.

"Thanks, but it's okay." The other shirt was only slightly stained, the blue overshirt having taken the brunt of the coffee collision. "So... your friends always size a guy up in coffeehouses after you collide with them?" She followed his gaze, rolling her eyes.

"No, because I never collide with anyone. And when I do, they usually aren't as cute as you." She stopped when he chuckled, realizing what she'd said, how she'd risen on her toes to get closer to him. He couldn't deny that for a moment, he'd wanted to close the gap and kiss her, but with everyone watching, he'd kept himself in check. "Sorry."

He shook his head, smirking. Once they were as dried off as they could get, he tossed the napkins in the trash and turned to her. "Look, let me buy you another latte. It's the least I can do." She seemed to think this over, and then agreed before moving to join her friends. She tossed her braid over her shoulder, and turned around to watch him as she took a seat.

"He's cute." The blonde, Tamsen Blythe, said.

"Eh, if you like that cocky charming type of thing." Gwen replied, resting her chin on the tops of her fingers. She glanced back, at him, watched as he ordered, and then turned back around as he made his way towards them. He glanced around, and after a moment, she pushed the extra chair out. He gave her a soft smile as he took a seat.

"Should be ready soon." She nodded.

"Thanks." He nodded, and the five lapsed into silence. "So... what do you do? Where are you from?" He glanced around, thinking.

"Boston. Born and raised in Boston, but spent a few years in Alberta, working on my cousin's oil rig-"

"Canada?" The redhead asked, interest piquing. The others rolled their eyes.

"Gwen has this great _love affair_ with Canada." The ravenhead told him, leaning close. He chuckled, but stopped at the redhead's glare.

"What about you all?" He asked, glancing at each. They all shared curious glances before the blonde said,

"Lan, Gwen, Jo and I have known each other for years. Military brats. Bounced from base to base. Known each other since practically preschool. We all ship out to our respective countries in a few weeks, and this is our... last hoorah, if you will, before we leave." He nodded, glancing at the ravenhead. But before he could open his mouth, the barista brought their drinks out, and he gave her a small smile before she returned behind the counter.

"We'd better get going. It's eight-twenty. We're already late as it is." The blonde said, checking her phone.

"We'll be lucky to get there with the traffic as it is-" The brunette said.

"If Jadie doesn't kill us first for breaking our scheduled breakfast meet." Gwen added. As the girls got up and headed out of the cafe, he grabbed the ravenhead's arm, stopping her.

"Hey, I know this is going to sound strange, but... where are you staying? I just... wanted to take you out to dinner or... lunch or... you know, breakfast." She bit her lip; he couldn't help thinking of how hot that made her. Quickly, she glanced towards the door, before pulling a pen out of her purse and taking his hand.

"We are staying at the Marriot for the next couple weeks." She jotted down the room number, hotel and her phone number before adding her name.

"Jo?" He glanced up at her.

"Short for Josefina." He nodded, a grin tugging at his features.

"Josefi-" But before he could finish, she'd smacked him in the back of the head. He cringed.

"I hate that name!" He held up his hands in surrender as she put her pen away.

"Okay. I won't say it again, Jojo." He closed his eyes, expecting her to hit him again, but when he opened his eyes, it was to her staring at him, contemplating something. "What?"

"What's your name? I only ask because I'd like to know who's taking me out for breakfast." He grinned.

"Zane. Zane Donovan." She reached out, taking the hand he offered.

"Jo Lupo. Nice to meet you." She looked up as Blythe poked her head back into the cafe. "I gotta go, but... give me a call. I look forward to breakfast." And with a small wave and a smile, she was gone.

Nearly twenty minutes later, he, and everyone else in lower Manhattan, felt and heard the impact of American Airlines Flight Eleven slamming into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.


	3. Chapter 3

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

There wasn't any less chaos after Flight One-Seventy-Five slammed into the South Tower than there was the first. Smoke filled the once beautiful blue sky, and people stood around, watching the towers smoulder and burn. Zane looked around, searching for anyone who could give him an answer as to what happened. He'd watched American Airlines One-Seventy-Five slam into the second tower, and rushed down to help; now, he searched for the four girls he'd been talking to earlier.

_"Breakfast at Windows on the World, with Tam's sister. She's one of the hostesses in the restaurant. It's tradition."_

His heart plummeted, as his mind flashed to the restaurant. He'd been eaten there on plenty occasions, growing up. It was a beautiful restaurant, with a wide, panoramic view of the Financial District, and the bay. Because his father had once worked in the towers for Marsh and McCleanen, Zane's earliest memories were of joining his dad for lunch at Windows on the World, sitting in the booth between his parents, and looking out at the tiny cars and people, hundreds of feet below.

And now, to think, that those girls were trapped on the top floor, in the restaurant-

Time seemed to slow.

Minutes passed, and he helped direct people away from the buildings, even as he rushed towards. Even after the South tower collapsed a minute before ten, he couldn't help hoping that the girls had all made it out alive, and he rushed towards the remaining World Trade Center. As he continued to direct people out of the North tower, he searched among the smoke for the girls. Just before ten-twenty-eight, people were ordered out of and away from the towers, and he took off running, following the thousands scrambling to get away from the collapsing tower. People fell, others helped them up; strangers grabbed hands and rushed for cover, slamming into walls and doorways, crashing through windows to find some form of shelter.

_"No! They can't be gone! No!"_ The young woman's scream jarred him from his flight instinct, and when he turned to look; it was to see a woman, crumpling to the ground, already covered in the fine granulated dust of the South tower. Without thinking, he grabbed her hand, yanking her to her feet and hauling her away from the collapsing building. His heart leapt into his throat, but he didn't chance a look back; he could hear the screams and feel the rush of wind as the tower chased after them.

_"We have to take cover!"_ She didn't reply; eventually, he yanked her behind a van, slamming them into the ground as the cloud enveloped downtown Manhattan. They rolled, before landing, the rush of the dust and debris and soot flying over them. Laying atop her, he pressed her into the asphalt, covering her small body with his, burying his face in her hair as the cloud blew over them. He listened, to her frantic breathing, felt the warmth of her breath against his shirt, and tightened his hold on her as they and thousands upon thousands of others in Manhattan were thrown into pitch blackness in the middle of the bright Tuesday morning. His heart continued to beat, slowly returning to its normal rhythm as they lay behind the car. When the dust had settled and silence took the place of the roar, he lifted his head, blinking the dust from his eyes. After a moment, he looked down at his companion. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, coughing. "Uh-huh." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly, before meeting his gaze again. From what he could tell, she was having just as hard a time breathing as him, for all the dust and soot in the air. Her long black hair was coated in fine, granulated dust making her hair grey. "Th... thank you." He nodded, giving her a small smile, before burying his face in her hair again and taking several deep breaths to calm his frayed nerves. She gripped his shirt, holding tight to him; they waited for several minutes before he pulled away again and glanced under the car they hid behind. It was silent, still, yet he could hear shouting, the loud beeping screams of the PASS devices on the firefighters' gear, and the hacking coughs of those caught in the dust storm from the building. Slowly, he climbed to his feet, helping her up.

"Come on, we... we need to go find help." She glanced behind them, back towards where the towers had once stood.

"I... I need to find my friends..." He shook his head, wrapping his arm tight around her waist as she turned to head back the other way.

"I don't think they made it." He whispered, his voice rough yet soft; he coughed, choking on the dust, as he attempted to keep his mouth covered. She didn't seem to notice, and turned to look at him with wide, confused eyes. "Come on, we need to find some shelter." They moved, slowly, shuffling through the dust and debris- stepping over wood and glass, dust and the fine, granulated remains of atomized human beings to find some form of help. Eventually, they came upon a few firefighters.

"Are you hurt?" One of them asked, handing him a towel. He passed it to her, pressing it to her nose and mouth.

"Where can we-" She started, but the man cut her off.

"A firehouse would be best, but whatever building you can find. I'm sure they're all taking survivors in. As fast as you can. Go!" They did as told, stumbling through debris and dust-filled streets along with several others. Both were strangely quiet, their bodies registering the shock and drinking in the various sounds, the shouts and cries, the crunching of debris under their feet, the screech of PASS devices. Eventually, they made it to a firehouse- Engine Seven, to be precise, which would later become famous for not losing a single firefighter in the attacks. As they entered the firehouse, and were instantly seen too, he let himself look around. Other survivors were milling about, looking for loved ones, asking each new arrival if they'd seen whomever they were looking for. After several minutes, he joined his companion, taking a seat beside her, and accepting the second cup of coffee she'd been given. He gave her a soft smile, and she leaned close, studying his hand. After a moment,

"I guess that point's moot now, isn't it?" He met her eyes, studying her face before he realized who she was.

"The girl from the cafe." She nodded, giving him a sad smile. "Why weren't you with your friends?" She swallowed.

"I... we were in the lobby, boarding the elevator and... I got a call from my older brother Luca, and I stepped out..." She sniffled, looking into her cup. "I stepped out... to answer it... and they went... up, saying they'd... wait for me at the entrance to the restaurant... minutes later... the plane hit..." She choked on a sob, her tears dripping into her cup. He sat beside her, laying a hand on her back; she looked up at the contact. "I didn't know what was going on, but... but soon police came in and... ordered us to leave. I stayed. Helped get others out. Military brat, your training kicks in. I've done four tours in Somalia, Haiti, Brazil and Peru... I know how to handle a crisis. I... I tried to... to go up the stairs but... but they_ wouldn't let me_. When the South tower fell... and then the North... I should have known that the North would fall... but I..." He nodded as she stopped, choking on her sobs. Minutes passed, and he sat beside her, letting her cry. Suddenly, though, she got up, catching sight through her tears of people entering the firehouse and she rushed towards them. Zane swallowed, her desperate words ringing her ears,

_"Have you seen four young women? Their names are Tamsen and Jadie Blythe, Gwendolyn Rowley, and Caitlan Hertz. Have you seen them?"_


	4. Chapter 4

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: If the first two chapters confuse you: I'm essentially giving you two- maybe three- different realities in this story. The first chapter is a reflection of the first of three realities: **

**Reality A: Jo surviving the tower collapse by being in Zane's apartment while her friends were already in the restaurant because she overslept. **

**Second Chapter gives us the beginnings of Reality B (The one that may continue through to the end of the story): Jo and Zane meet at a cafe, and the four girls leave for the restaurant. Jo survives by stepping out to take a call while the others head up; when the plane hits, she's ushered from the building, and only when the North tower falls, does she run into Zane again, who manages to get her away from and protect her from the dust cloud covering lower Manhattan. **

**As for Reality C: You'll have to keep reading to find out.**

_The Marriot Hotel at the base of the Twin Towers. They were staying at the nine-eleven hotel._

He shuddered. That hotel was now among the smoking rubble of the Twin Towers. As he turned to glance at the woman sitting next to him at the cafe table, he couldn't help the images that flashed through his mind. Even if they hadn't been in Windows on the World, they'd have still died; the debris from the towers had hit the hotel; not many had survived, from what they knew now, several were unaccounted for._ To think, she and her friends could have been killed when the South tower collapsed on them. _

Hadn't she said her room was on the twentieth floor? From the sounds of it, they'd have been goners even if they hadn't been in the restaurant; if they'd returned to their rooms to get something when the towers fell-

She choked out a sob, burying her face in her hands, and he was pulled from his thoughts, going to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Jojo." She didn't look up when he spoke, instead, she returned to the missing posters she'd made; she'd somehow, made several copies and distributed them around, asking each person she saw if her friends had been seen. He looked up as the barista brought their drinks over, laying a hand on both their shoulders as she returned to work. They sat in silence for several minutes, before Zane's phone began to ring. He'd completely forgotten that he had it with him, and after a moment, pulled it out. "I'll be right back, okay?" She nodded, and he got up, slipping outside to take the call. His mother's relieved voice entered his brain as he spoke.

"Thank God, Zane! I've been trying to reach you for the last four days! Are you okay? I saw the footage-"

"Mom... Mom, I'm fine! I've just been... helping, or trying too." He sighed, glancing back into the cafe. "And I've been looking after Jo."

"Who... who's Jo?" He swallowed.

"She's this... girl I met."

"A..." That comment seemed to floor his mother briefly before she asked, "A girl? How... where... when.. why didn't you tell-" Zane glanced back at the cafe window.

"She... she lost her best friends in the collapse, Mom." Tessa Donovan stopped her questioning at that single statement. She could hear the tears in her son's voice, could hear how watching people die up close had affected him- much more than it would if he'd been watching it on a TV, like she and the rest of the world had been. "They were in the North Tower when then plane struck, up in Windows on the World. She stepped out to take a call, and missed the elevator-" He heard his mother inhale sharply, and choke back tears. "I managed to get her away as the tower fell and..." Tessa had seen the dust clouds from the towers falling on TV, and couldn't even imagine being trapped in a cloud of that magnitude. To think that her _son_ had been trapped inside that cloud of dust, debris, glass- to be trapped, surrounded and covered by the atomized remains of people who had at one time been living- "I've been taking care of her. They were staying in Marriot-"

"So she has a place-"

"Not anymore. She and her friends were four of the nine-hundred forty guests staying at the Marriot World Trade Center Hotel." He cringed at her soft sob. "So she lost everything." He sighed. "Doesn't bother me, it's nice to have someone else around." Silence met him before his mother joked softly,

"Maybe she'll get you to stay in one place for a while." He chuckled softly at his mother's words and sniffled.

"Yeah, maybe." He glanced back towards the windows, she was sitting at the table, head buried in her arms. "Look, Mom, I've got to go, but... I'm all right. I'm okay."

"I love you, Zane."

"Love you too, Mom." And without another word, he hung up, rushing back into the cafe towards her. Without asking, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close. She clung to him, sobbing. Eventually, as her sobs began to quiet, he asked, "Come home with me."

"What?" She looked up at him, eyes red.

"You need a place to stay besides the shelter you've been staying at, and I have an extra room, and I... I wouldn't mind the company." Okay, so telling his mom that she'd been staying with him had been a lie, but he couldn't stop himself. He'd wanted to ask her to stay with him since they reached the firehouse that bleak Tuesday, but hadn't had the courage. Talking to his mom gave him that, and he took it. "Stay with me. You need someone right now, we all do." She bit her lip, thinking.

What options did she have? She couldn't go back to the hotel- it was split in two, a destruction of rubble, where the towers once stood. Two of her brothers were overseas, one in Jersey, with her dad and her dog. She had no where else to go-

"Okay." She nodded. He gave her a soft smile and then pressed a kiss to her head, getting up and helping her to her feet. They walked in silence towards his apartment, not speaking, just watching the people try to clean up the dust and debris. It would take weeks to finally get downtown Manhattan looking like itself again.

"Josie! Josie!" She stopped, turning back.

"What is it? Hey, what's wrong?" She looked up at him.

"I... I thought I heard someone call my name-"

"Josie!" When she turned back around, it was to see a dog rushing towards her, barking wildly, followed by two men. Suddenly, she wen engulfed in her older brother's familiar embrace, his face buried in her dark hair. "Thank God, Josie! It's taken us three days to get up here, and when we got here, were weren't sure if you'd-" He pulled away, staring into her dark eyes. "We're just glad you're okay." She gave him a small, sad smile. "When I called-"

"I was just... about to step into the elevator... to go up to Windows on the World... the girls... they were in the restaurant... I can't find them, Luc, _I can't find them_!" He pressed a kiss to her forehead, before stepping aside and letting their dad wrap her in a hug.

"I heard the people shouting over the phone, and then the tower as it collapsed." Her brother admitted, as her dad rubbed her back.

"I'm just glad you're all right, Peanut." She clung to him, tears in her eyes.

"They're still pulling people from the rubble, that means they have to be alive, they've just got to be." She choked out, as her father pulled away.

"Josefina, if the towers were designed to implode inward, not out, as they fell. Any chance they had of surviving..." He shook his head, and then looked up, meeting Zane's eyes. "Who are you?" The younger man took a deep breath.

"I... I'm Zane. I... I helped get Jo to safety when the towers fell."

"Luca Lupo- Josie's older brother. And my dad, Colonel James Lupo." He quickly shook their hands, as Jo knelt down and scooped the dog into her arms.

"Nice to meet you-"

"Oh, I've missed you, Ash. I _missed you so much_. Thank God you weren't with us. I wouldn't have been able to survive if I'd lost you _too_." The three looked down, to see Jo kneeling on the ground, holding her dog tight to her chest, face buried in its thick fur. The pup kept licking her face, attempting to smother her with kisses and puppy saliva; tears slid down Jo's face, and she choked out a sob. Zane had to admit to himself that it was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.


	5. Chapter 5

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

"Thank you." He gave her a soft smile, squeezing her shoulder as he set the steaming cup of coffee in front of her. Her brother had tried to get her to come back to Jersey with them, but surprisingly, her father had stepped in, saying that it was probably best if she stayed in New York for now, to get fully checked over and cleared, and seek help if she needed it. After a lengthy conversation, her brother had agreed, asking her to call if she needed or wanted to come home to Jersey. So that was how she found herself at Zane's small studio apartment; after her brother and father had heard about how he'd helped her escape from the towers, how he'd helped protect her, they'd left her in his care, promising to call every hour to check up on her.

"How're you doing?" He asked, taking a seat beside her. She swallowed, wrapping her hands around the cup. Her knees were against her chest, with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, her long dark hair tumbling around her shoulders. Her eyes were red from crying, and she was pale.

"I can't believe they're gone." She choked out. "I... they can't be gone. They just can't be. I... I saw them that morning... and we were... we were laughing and smiling and... happy." He was silent, letting her talk. "I... I should have gone with them, I should have... I shouldn't have stepped out of the building to take that call-" Instantly, he shook his head.

"If you had... think of the pain it would have caused your dad, and your brothers." _And me. I don't even know you very well and yet... and yet I'd miss you._

"But I'd be with my friends. And my mom." She finished, sniffling.

"Your mom? Was she-" She shook her head.

"She died when I was ten- ovarian cancer. If I'd gone into the building... I'd be with her..." She burst into tears, and he got up, going to her and wrapping his arms around her, holding her close as he let her cry. Minutes passed, before he pulled away, sitting down in the chair beside her.

"Jo," He took her hand, stroking her fingers to calm her. How did he tell this girl that the world would be a worse place without her in it, cliche as it sounded? That her death would have broken not only the hearts of her family, but of those whose lives she'd touched even briefly, like his? That the hundreds of people who hadn't met her yet wouldn't have ever had the chance to know how wonderful she had been if she'd died? Essentially, he was a stranger, yet she needed him, like he needed her; that was one thing this attack had done- bring people together, no matter if they knew each other or not? That they all needed someone to lean on, now more than ever? "If you hadn't lived..." He glanced down at her hands, realizing how tiny her fingers were. Her fingers were so small, so slender, so... tiny, compared to his. Her whole body was tiny, come to think of it. "If you hadn't lived, all the lives you've touched, would be a lot less dim. The world, would be less beautiful without you in it."

"You don't even know me." She choked out, meeting his eyes.

"But I have a chance to." He whispered, reaching up and cradling her face in his palm. A moment passed, before he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She reached up, grabbing a fistful of his shirt, her tears sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto her lap. "I want to get to know you, Jojo." When he pulled away, he stared into her dark eyes, gently brushing the tears away. Silence passed between them before she lay her head on his shoulder, letting her tears flow. He ran a hand through her hair, pressing a kiss to her head. "Please, Jojo. Let me get to know you."

She pulled away when she was able to control her sobs, and looked up into his dark blue eyes. "Thank you, Zane. For... for letting me stay with you." He nodded, giving her a soft smile.

Over the next few days, they tried getting back to normal life, though the sight of the smouldering rubble at Ground Zero was a constant reminder of what had been lost. Jo found herself- along with her brother and her IED dog, Ash, helping in the search for victims in the rubble; usually, all they found were papers, notebooks or wallets, body parts instead of bodies, or not even body parts. They sifted and searched; seeing things no human being should ever see. Jo frantically looked for any sign of her friends; the closest she ever came to, was the silver bracelet she'd given Lan on her sixteenth birthday, and Gwen's wallet, with her liscense and credit cards still inside, wrecked, but whole. She asked to keep the bracelet and the photograph of the four of them from Rowley's wallet, the last remainders of her friends. Of Tam and Jadie, they found nothing.

Images of the happening disaster and subsequent cleanup were captured and shown around the world, of smoke and flames belching out of the South Tower when Flight One-Seventy-Five hit as the North Tower burned; of the North Tower, thick, black smoke escaping into the air, with the far off image of an airliner making its way towards its twin; of firefighters raising the flag over the rubble of the World Trade Center; of a group of men carrying the body of Father Mychal, the first casualty of September Eleventh, away from the disaster; of citizens, covered in ash and soot and dust, looking dazed and confused; of the Empire State Building, the smoking towers in the distance; of a lone firefighter, sitting on the ground, head in his hands; grainy, hard to see images of people pressed against the windows, desperate for air; of people running from the dust cloud that had once been the South Tower; images of the rubble afterwards, smouldering and surrounded by the clouds of dust, all beautiful images, captured forever in time, a heartbreaking, chilling reminder of what New York, and America, had lost. Of the thousands of lives that had been taken, and the devestating blow a country and its people had been dealt. They were a reminder that the people of New York, and America, would triumph and heal.

Within a month, life had found some semblance of normalcy, and Jo and Zane had fallen into a comfortable routine of friendship, leaning on each other when the other lapsed into saddening silence or heartbreaking sobs. They found comfort in curling on the sofa and reading together, or sitting at the small kitchen table in Zane's apartment and talking over steaming cups of coffee, and at night, Zane often woke to find Jo at the end of the bed, tears running down her cheeks, looking forever like a child, lost and alone in the world, frightened by nightmares and the horrors of that day, the screams of those falling to their final resting places on the pavement ringing in her ears. On those nights, Zane was pull the covers back and she would climb into bed with him, curling into his arms, head on his chest, the steady beat of his heart lulling her to sleep as he stroked her hair.

Although, in the early hours, often near one or two in the morning, Zane would be jarred awake by Jo's screams, her sobs as she called out for her friends, as she thrashed about, in a desperate attempt to escape the roar of the dust clouds as they followed them down the streets of downtown Manhattan, enveloping them in human ash and debris. He would hold her, stroking her hair and whispering soft words of comfort to her, as her dog Ash climbed onto the bed and lay beside her, resting his head on her hip, nuzzling his nose against her body in an attempt to comfort. Over the course of the early morning hours, she would calm, returning to sleep in Zane's arms, with Ash next to them, protecting her. And on more than one occasion, when Zane slipped out for a run, he would return to the apartment with breakfast for them, to find Jo sitting at the window, shaking, sobbing, and when she saw him, she'd throw herself into his arms, terrified that he'd been killed, the fear and terror she experienced in the tower collapse tainting her emotions. Always, Zane held her, stroking her back and promising that he was there, that he was okay, and that the attack was over.

When those in the military were called to serve in December of oh-one, Jo went willingly, as did her brother; she ended up being in one of the first platoons to serve two years in Iraq, and then a year and a half in Afghanistan, before being wounded in ambush and honorably discharged. In that time, her 'relationship' with Zane had grown stronger, and by the time she returned home, badly injured, with Ash by her side, wounded as well, a part of her had expected Zane to move on. He hadn't, and instead, was waiting for her when the plane landed. For the next six months, she focused on getting better; with Zane's help and physical therapy, she was back on her feet by the fourth anniversary in oh-five. By then, her heroics during that ambush had been made known, and she was awarded a Purple Heart, as well as a Bronze and a Silver Star. Though it was bittersweet, her older brother Davie had been awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

And so it was nearing the fourth anniversary of the attacks that she and Zane found themselves sitting across from each other in the kitchen, a single question with a simple answer hanging in the air between them.


	6. Chapter 6

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: And now we get to what will bring us to the AU version of Season Two...**

_September 9, 2005_

"Aren't you going to say something?"

His soft question dragged her dark gaze from the table to his face, the words hitting her like a body hitting the pavement outside the North Tower- an image she would never be able to erase from her mind, until she herself was cold in her grave. Panic, fear, pain reflected in those dark pools, as smouldering as the rubble which she'd spent a week digging through with other volunteers to find survivors. Now that he thought about it, everything in their lives had a connection to Nine-Eleven, from what they watched on TV to what they talked about during dinner, to where they went downtown. Even four years later, flowers and impromptu memorials still popped up, missing posters still hung, taped to the walls in subways or stapled to telephone wires. Among them, were the four flyers Jo had made after her friends vanished. No one had removed them; most likely, no one ever would.

Slowly, her gaze dropped to the object that had started the stalemate in the first place: a simple, black velvet box, with his grandmother's engagement ring nestled inside. Waiting for her to either allow him to slip it on her finger, or close it and put it away.

She swallowed, forcing herself to shove the fear she felt back down towards her toes. Why was she hesitating? She'd been with Zane for nearly five years- they'd gone to Hell, along with everyone else in Manhattan, and come back alive; scarred and beaten, but alive to tell the tale. They'd both looked Death in the face and survived. She'd been wounded and honorably discharged in war, recieving three medals for her service, and he'd stuck by her side. They'd taken cover from a toxic dust cloud of human debris and steel, and lived- so why was one simple, honest question scaring her half to death?

She had an answer, she just couldn't think of it at the moment.

"It's a simple question, Jojo, with a simple answer. Yes or no?"

He watched her visibly swallow, and took a deep breath. So he'd sprung this on her, setting the box on the table as they cleared away the dishes, causing her to stop, causing her eyes to widen and her breathing to hitch as she stared at the small velvet box in the middle of their kitchen table. He had long ago accepted that Jo was a part of his life- she'd been a part of his life from the moment they met in that cafe, covered in coffee from slamming into each other. They'd spent three years getting to know each other through letters and phone calls while she was overseas, through physical therapy and nightmare-filled nights. He'd introduced her to Tessa just two months prior to tonight, and his mother had instantly fallen in love with the young war veteran; her father and remaining brothers had gotten to know him more over dinners and holidays, and though he was caught but never convicted of hacking crimes, for the most part, they approved. He brought out the girl they'd seen and known before the attacks, before the war, before the deaths of her friends and her mother's passing. He was good for Jo, and she good for him. But now, as he looked at her, he saw all the doubt, the self-loathing, the pain, the fear she'd hidden for so long.

"I hate surprises."

He started; he hadn't expected_ that_ to come out of her mouth, far from it, in fact. She lowered her gaze, but he caught the tears in her eyes. "Jojo-" He swallowed; what did he say? How did he talk to her? "Jojo, look at me." She slowly raise her gaze to meet his. "I love you. I've known you for... nearly five years and... I can't imagine my life without you in it. So what do you say? Will you make an... honest man of me?" She took a deep breath, sniffling, and he watched her wipe tears off her cheeks.

"I... I don't..." Sighing softly in frustration, he got up, going to her and kneeling at her feet. Gently, he took her hands in his, looking up into her dark eyes.

"Jojo, I love you. True, I... I sprang it on you and I shouldn't have... to be honest, I had no elaborate plan. This was the most elaborate plan I could think of in this short amount of time, but... but I mean it. Every word. I love you. I think... from the moment we met, I knew we were meant for each other. I felt something click that day."

"Zane-"

"I'm not just saying it because of what happened, I mean it. I felt _something_- something real, something true. Someone was watching out for us that day- making sure we found each other in the chaos, making sure we got out alive; together. Whatever or- whoever-" He watched her flinch, knew she was thinking of her friends, lost in the burning rubble of the towers. "was watching that day was looking out for us, pushing us together at every turn, making sure we survived. I think you have four guardian angels, Jojo, looking out for you." He whispered, reaching up to cradle her cheek against his palm. "Four angels who... were trapped in the restaurant and who died in the collapse and... who made sure- even subconsciously, not deliberately, but subconsciously- that you took that call from your brother and missed the elevator. I think they were watching over you and... and decided that you have a life worth living, and that you need to live it. That you need to be the one to carry on their legacy and remember that they aren't just nameless victims, that they're people, who have people who love them and remember them for who they were, not how they died. And... I think they pushed us together. I think they knew, and they set it in motion." She shook her head.

"Zane- they didn't- they aren't-" He squeezed her hand.

"I think they knew that morning in the cafe; I think they knew we were meant to be; that we were meant for each other, and the live the life we're meant to live, together. Survive and love, together. Jo, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I... I can't imagine... them not taking control of our destiny. I can't imagine not having you in my arms every night. Not telling you that I love you, or seeing you smile. I can't imagine never getting to watch you play with Ash or spend time in the kitchen baking or... sitting by the window, staring at the sky. I can't imagine not waking up to you every morning and climbing into bed next to you every night." He reached up, slipping his other hand against her cheek. She shook her head, trying to pull away.

"Zane-"

"I want to spend the rest of my life making you smile, and making you laugh. I want to have children with you- little girls that can be their namesakes, that we can teach to walk and ride bikes and talk. I want a family with you, a life with you. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you and... and I never want to let you go. I could have lost you- but I didn't. You're guardian angels were looking out for you, and for that, I'll forever be in their debt." He pressed a kiss to her lips as he brushed the tears away, and she reached up, cradling his face in her hands as her tears flowed freely. To think, that the girls had sacrificed themselves so she could live-

But he was right. Why had she survived and not them? Had Luca calling forced her from the elevator that bright Tuesday morning, or some unknown destiny that the girls had a hand in? Had their fates already been chosen for them? And if so, why had she been given a different path besides theirs? Or had they volunteered? Either way, she was grateful to be alive, even at their sacrifice.

Moments passed, moments in silence as she weighed her options, looked over the choices made that morning. And in the end- Zane was right. They'd been pushed together; something had pushed her from that elevator, and straight into Zane's arms. Perhaps the girls knew. And if they did; well, both she and Zane were in their debt. When she broke the kiss, she took a deep breath, and nodded, nudging her nose against his. All the while, images of the girls' knowing smiles flashed through her mind.

_They knew._ Or had some inkling to her fate, and decided to change it. Either way-

"Marry me, Jojo. Please." She sniffled, running her fingers over his cheeks.

"Yes." She choked out, cheeks wet with fresh, cool tears. "Yes, Zane. I'll marry you." He kissed her deeply, breaking away only long enough to take the ring from the box and slip it on her finger before pulling her back into his arms and kissing her again with a soft 'I love you'.


	7. Chapter 7

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: In case you haven't guessed yet, September 11th will play a big role in this story, and in this version of Jo and Zane's love story. I made the wedding the 14h, because there's another major event in their lives that takes place on the 11th, later on. **

They were married by a Justice of the Peace, in downtown Manhattan, three days after the anniversary of the attack. Both found it only fitting to have something good to remember about a week that had caused such pain and heartache. As Zane wrapped his arms around her and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, he relished in the sudden realization that they were married, that she was now his wife, and that everything they did now was in consideration of the other. With their family by their side to witness the happy event, they found that all the horror they'd witnessed that day and the days after had given way to a chance- a chance at happiness. A chance they were willing to take.

Later that night, after dinner had finished and their family had left with warm wishes and congratulations, they lay in bed, wrapped in the blankets, lost in thought. He played with her wedding ring, twisting it around her finger, watching it glint in the light from the moon peeking through the window. Ash lay by the door, sound asleep and snoring softly, content to be with Jo and the man who had become a permanent fixture in her life.

"You're absolutely beautiful, Josefina." She sat up, turning to him. The red lingerie she wore brought out the beautiful tones of her olive skin, and the natural highlights in her dark hair.

"So are you." She whispered, leaning down to kiss him sweetly. They'd spent the last few hours making love, giving into a passion they'd given into so often over the last few years, and reaching a height they'd never reached before. "It feels like a dream. That I'm going to wake up alone, or that I won't wake up at all." He rubbed her back, holding her close.

"It's not a dream, Jojo; I promise. I'm right here. I'll be here with you, all night and for the rest of our lives." She nuzzled into his neck, letting her contentment take hold, and after a while, she drifted off to sleep. Zane followed not long after.

When he awoke next, it was to Jo's violent thrashing and heartbroken cries. Always, he knew, on, near, or around the anniversary of the attacks, and he pulled her into his arms, humming softly to calm her. Ash was on the bed instantly to help comfort Jo, and after several minutes, she calmed down, burying her face in Zane's chest. He pressed soft kisses to her hair, rocking her back and forth and humming softly. It wasn't until two a.m. that he finally returned to sleep.

The next morning, Jo awoke to find herself alone in bed; the scent of fresh-brewed coffee wafting towards her from the kitchen. As she shuffled into the kitchen, it was to the sight of her husband sitting at the kitchen table, playing with Ash. The pup was barking in excitment as Zane ruffled it's soft grey fur, and he shushed it, not wanting to wake her up. But when the pup rushed towards her, Zane blushed, realizing that she was already awake. He instantly got up, pouring a cup of coffee and handing to her as he went to her side, pressing a soft kiss to her lips as her fingers wrapped around the cup. "Did you sleep well? Better?" She shrugged, sipping her drink. He chuckled softly, squeezing her gently before slipping out of the kitchen and going into the living room. Ash followed, tail in the air, towards the window. "It doesn't seem real."

"What?" She asked, setting her cup on the coffee table in the living room and joining him.

"That it's been four years since the towers were brought down. Since we lost thousands, and New York was tested in ways no one should be tested in." He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. She leaned into his side, laying a hand on his chest. He brushed his lips over her forehead, before looking into her eyes. "Since we saved each other." And then, he leaned down, gently taking her lips in his and capturing her in a kiss. He was right. They had found each other; they'd helped each other survive, seeing each other through the darkest days after the attacks. "It doesn't look right, without those towers there."

She nodded, nudging her nose against his, before wrapping her arms around him and tugging him back towards the sofa. "Come sit with me, Zane. Please." He let her tug him towards the sofa, taking a seat as she climbed into his lap, the button-down of his hanging down her body, leaving little to the imagination as it graced just above her thighs. His hands moved down her small body, skimming over her waist and trailing over her thighs, pulling her closer as she curled into his embrace, tucking her head beneath his chin. She played with the buttons on his shirt for several minutes, before whispering,

"I was offered..." He pulled away to look at her.

"What did you say, babe?" She shook her head, nuzzling into him. "No, what did you say? Tell me." She swallowed.

"I... I got offered a job." His grin made her heart flutter.

"That's great. Especially since you've been so upset about being discharged and not being able to find steady work since leaving the Army." She cringed; though she- and thousands others who'd gone over to fight- had been saluted as heroes, coming home and finding steady work to help them settle back into normalcy showed exactly what some people thought of the military. They'd struggled to get by, with help from their parents, and found that even though they had very little, they had each other; together, they could survive anything, like they'd survived that tragic day. He searched her face for several minutes before reaching down and cradling her cheek in his hand. "I'm sorry, Jojo. I didn't mean to-" But she laid a finger across his lips, shaking her head.

"It's okay." She kissed him softly, before he asked,

"Doing what, exactly? What did they offer you? And who offered?" She rested her forehead to his, swallowing.

"Law enforcement. Deputy of a... small town."

"Where?" He asked softly, pecking her gently on the lips. She met his gaze, exhaling softly.

"A... a little town in Oregon. Called Eureka."


	8. Chapter 8

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

"Oregon?" She nodded. "Wow." He drifted into silence, as his thoughts raced around his brain at a hundred miles a minute. "That... that's... clear on the other side of the country-"

"Two-thousand-four-hundred and fifty miles." She whispered. "They asked me a couple months ago, but... but I told them... I'd have to think about it." Instantly, Zane's hackles rose.

"'They?' What 'they', Jojo?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. She met his gaze.

"One of my dad's old Army buddies, Major William Cobb; some sort of weird bounty-hunter named Samuel Lovejoy, and a liasion for the Department of Defense named Allison Blake." That last mention only made his suspicion grow.

"Department of Defense?" He sat up; she shifted onto the sofa beside him, leaving her feet in his lap. "Why would they-"

"They wanted to offer me the job." She replied, taking his hand. "Zane, if this is about your past- I know all about it. You've told me everything-" But before she could say another word, he'd pulled her closer and kissed her deeply, a long, passionate kiss, as though telling her goodbye.

"You should take it." She pulled away, surprised.

"Ah... Zane... we... we_ just_ got married. And... and now you're telling me to take a job offer that puts me clear at the other end of the country? Why?" He swallowed, sitting up and resting his elbows on his knees.

"Honestly, I think it would be good for you." Her eyebrows rose, and her mouth dropped, but she kept quiet. "I think it would get you away from the memories and the impromptu memorials and the missing posters and everything that reminds us of that day. I think a change of scenery is just what you need." She got up, grabbing her cup and going into the kitchen.

"But I'd be leaving you-" He sighed, going to her and wrapping his arms around her from behind. She leaned back into him, feeling his chest rumble as he spoke.

"Hey, I will be fine. Okay? But I think... I think this could be good for you. It'll get you away from the memories and the pain of the Hell we've been reliving every year. It'll give you a fresh, new start. I'll miss you like crazy, but we'll still keep in touch; and you never know. I could be joining you in a year or two." He grinned and she chuckled as he wiped the tears off her cheeks. "So take the job in Oregon, Jojo. I'll be here if you decide it isn't for you, or I'll be there if I end up recruited too. You never know. But, until then-" He scooped her into his arms, holding her close. "I am going to make the most of the time I have with you."

She giggled as he carried her to their bedroom, kicking the door closed behind them. Ash, who'd slunk back into the bedroom when Jo raised her voice, scampered from the bed, preferring to take refuge in the closet among the shoes and extra blankets to take a nap, like she usually did when they made love. Once they reached the bed, Zane slowly undid each button on the shirt Jo wore, pressing a kiss to each patch of skin exposed, until she wore nothing but the red lingerie she'd pulled on under the shirt and her wedding ring. "Zane-"

"Hmm?" He pressed a soft kiss to the pulse point at her neck, before taking her hands and kissing each finger. His lips then found the pulse at each wrist, and he nipped gently, enjoying the visible sight of her jumping.

"I'll tell them that I'll go, but- but that I'll go after the first of the year." He pulled away, mouth dropping in confusion.

"Um... but... Jojo..."

"We just got married, Zane. I want those firsts with my husband- our first Thanksgiving as husband and wife with our parents, our first Christmas... I want those with you before I move to Oregon and leave you behind." Tears began to slide down her cheeks, and he kissed them away, taking her mouth in his and stopping any further sobs.

"It's just us, Jojo. Just us, today. We don't have to go anywhere or do anything. I'll be right here." He wrapped his arms tight around her, holding her close as they made love, and hours later, after several romps in the sheets, they lay curled in each others' arms. Zane traced soft patterns on the smooth skin of her back, brushing over the small beauty mark on her hip and the tiny mole on her lower back. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, breathing in her scent.

"I don't want to go. Not without you." He held her tighter, pulling the blankets closer around them.

"I could be joining you sooner than you think. Besides, I think you should go in October, like you'd mentioned." She sat up so that she was perched on her elbow.

"But-" He laid a finger over her lips, shaking his head.

"You said that when they talked about it, that they wanted you to come in October, right?" She nodded, her mind flashing back to that day in the coffee shop, when she'd sat at the same table her friends had been at when she ran into Zane, laptop in front of her as she tried to write about what she'd gone through in war. When Major Cobb stopped at her table and she got up to give him a hug, and how they'd talked for hours about how things had been going and what had been going on with them. She'd casually mentioned marrying Zane, but Cobb had gotten the gist when he caught sight of the ring on her finger. How he'd called Blake, the liasion, and Lovejoy, the bounty-hunter, over. How they'd explained why they wanted her and what they were prepared to pay to have her.

"Right."

"So go. I'll see you at Christmas and Thanksgiving, and we'll talk every day, I promise." She opened her mouth to protest, but Zane cut her off. "I will never leave you; I love you."

The next day, she called Cobb and told him yes, and on October first, after a heartfelt, painful goodbye with Zane at the airport, she caught a flight for Oregon.


	9. Chapter 9

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: This picks up where Zane's story in Eureka begins in _E= MC?_ but then, as stated, eventually diverts. Remember this is Jo and Zane's story, AU. The AU: What if Zane and Jo had been married before they arrived in Eureka? **

_August 28th, 2007_

He was taking a risk, and he knew it. But he couldn't just let the jackass get away with it. Mrs. Spadaro had believed in him when no one else would. _Like she has._ He sighed and shook his head. Back to the task at hand. Once he was finished, then he could focus on her and the latest video chat they'd be having when he returned to the apartment. It had been two years since Jo had taken the job in Eureka, and they'd spent as much time as possible talking, e-mailing, and calling. On the holidays, thye always spent at least four days together, getting reacquainted with each other and finding that spark that may have dimmed with their seperation, but had never gone out. _One more number, and... Done!_

Quickly, he climbed to his feet, and with a charming smile and promise to keep quiet to the sales girl, headed towards the backdoor-

"FBI! Zane Donovan, get your hands up!" He slid to a halt at the sight of four barrels staring him in the face.

"Excellent response time. You guys take Lake Street?" They hauled him away in handcuffs, so he didn't notice the man making a quick call.

"Went up by Lincoln Park, less traffic." The agent responded. The back of squad cars weren't an unusual sight for Zane anymore. In the last two years since Jo had been shuffled off to Eureka, he'd worked several long hours and only occasionally played around in government files, but today- "Come on, let's go." His thoughts were dashed as he was pulled from the car and dragged into FBI Headquarters. The room was small, bland and in desperate need of a decorator, but all Zane's eyes focused on was the vent in the ceiling. Once he was sure they were gone, he vaulted onto the table and released the vent hatch-

"I wouldn't if I were you. That comes out on the pistol range."

When he turned back around, it was to the sight of an older woman in a nice grey pantsuit. His eyes roved once over her appreciatively as he hopped off the table. She was beautiful, but her light brown skin wasn't nearly as beautiful as his wife's. "Please tell me you're my lawer."

"No, but I think I can keep you out of jail." He raised an eyebrow.

"What did you have in mind?" She gestured to the table, and after a moment, he took a seat across from her. She pulled something out of the case she was carrying and slid it across the table to him.

"We want you to come to Eureka." He stopped flipping through the paperwork and his head shot up.

"Eu... Eureka? As in... Eureka, Oregon?" She nodded.

"How do you know about Eureka?" He bit his lip, pushing the paperwork aside.

"My wife works there." She raised her eyebrows.

"Really?" He nodded. "Who is she?" Zane bit his lip. Jo had begged him not to tell anyone that he knew about Eureka- not that she'd told any secrets of what they were working on there, but still. He took a deep breath. If this meant that he was going to be with his wife again-

"The deputy. My wife is the sheriff's deputy. A Jo Donovan." The woman's surprised expression screamed that something was up. "What?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know any Jo Donovan. I know a Jo Lupo-" Zane stopped. How was he supposed to be react to the fact that his wife was back to using her maiden name? How did he even begin to _process_ that?

"Yeah."

"Now that you mention it, Jo did mention something about an intimate partner back in New York- around Sheriff Carter of course- was she talking about-" He nodded.

"Yeah. Me. I... she told me about it a couple years ago, and I urged her to go. I thought it would be good for her to get away from New York. Get her away from the-" He stopped, licking his lips. "From the memories."

"Memories?" Ms. Blake asked, sitting back in her chair. Zane didn't know what to say. How did he tell her that he and Jo had survived the collapsing of the Twin Towers?

"We... we met in New York. At a coffee shop. We literally ran into each other. And then... then she and her friends went to the North Tower and... they went up to the restaurant, and she stepped out to take a call. When the planes hit the towers, and everyone ran, I... I don't know how, I just... I found her and... we ran. And then we hid behind a car as the dust cloud of the North Tower fell over us. Her friends died in the collapse. Jo did three tours and been honorably discharged. We got married four years later. I... I figured maybe a change of scenery would do her good."

"You must miss her." Ms. Blake whispered. He nodded, unable to keep the tears in his eyes at bay.

"It's not easy, seeing her only on holidays or when she can get leave. Phone calls and letters do it, but... nothing like actually having her in my arms."

She watched him for several minutes, seeing the anguish in his blue eyes, the heartache, from having the person he loved being taken away from him. She knew what that was like; she'd lost Kevin's father, and never gotten over it. "Zane, we want you to come to Eureka. We only take the best, and you are the best in your field. We only take the best, and Zane, you are the best."

He met her gaze, and then after a moment, signed on the dotted line. If it meant he got to be with his wife again, he'd take a chance on this Eureka.


	10. Chapter 10

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: This is _E=MC?,_ and may go into next couple chapters, even with page breaks in this chapter. **

_September 1, 2007_

When she got there that morning, it was to find Carter already at his desk, a cup of coffee sitting on hers, waiting for her. She chuckled softly, taking a seat and leaning back in her chair after logging in. The two shared a brief moment over the rims of their cups. "So, ah... how was your night, Jo?" She shrugged, taking a sip of her drink.

"Usual." She whispered. _Another long night without the man I love in my arms._ The only people who knew she was married were Allison, her husband Nathan, Henry Deacon, Carter and Carter's daughter Zoe. All four had promised to keep her secret, until she felt comfortable exposing her relationship status to the rest of the town. The phone rang, and Jo, being Jo, offered to check it out. As she slipped out of the office, she caught sight of the black sedan pulling into the parking lot, but thought nothing of it as she went to check on the call. She didn't notice Allison slip into the office, or the FBI following, her husband being dragged inside, bound in silver. Carter had been briefed on the new meat coming to Eureka, and had been looking through his file when Jo came in, unaware of the new recruit's connection to his deputy.

"You want to_ hire_ this guy?" The annoyance in his voice was clear. Carter hated having to deal with new hires, and this one was obviously going to be a problem. He usually let Jo handle the new people. She was a people person.

"He's the best in his field, Carter."

"Yeah, if screwing up is a field."

"We need a particle physicist, Carter, and he's the most promising one out there."

"Woah, accepted to MIT at the age of thirteen- expelled. Accepted at Yale- expelled. Cornell, oh _guess what_,_ expelled_-" Allison cut in, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Not before winning the Spadaro Foundation Award for Superstring Theory. The guy set the bar so high they haven't even bothered to give it out since."

"Here's a resume highlight-" Carter cut in, turning to a new file. "Just stole three point one million from the U.S. Border Patrol account for drug interdiction."

"_Allegedly_." Both looked up to see Zane enter. "And can't we just agree the war on drugs is _really_ a moralistic assualt on individual liberty?" He glanced at Carter. "Or not." He chuckled.

"Hello, Zane." He instantly recognized Allison's warm brown eyes and smooth cinnamon skin. "Welcome to Eureka." As Allison, Lovejoy and Carter talked, Zane let his gaze wander about the room. It was the typical sheriff's office, with the certificates on the wall and the cell in the corner, and the desk of the sheriff and his deputy. His deputy. Allison had said that his wife was his deputy, and that she was going by her maiden name. The deputy's desk was nice and tidy- every ounce the OCD nut that was his wife; while the sheriff's was a complete mess of chaos and disorder. How Jo could stand working across from a desk like that, Zand had no clue.

"So, what do you do for fun in this town?" Zane asked, holding up the handcuffs. Carter's mouth dropped, and he couldn't help chuckling as the sheriff took the cuffs. He instantly made his way towards the deputy's desk, running his fingers over the smooth oak desk as he moved around to the chair. Her desk was tidy, with her computer on one corner, her file holder at the other, her desk lamp in the back corner. Her calender was up near her name plate, and beside that-

His heart stopped.

It was a photograph of them, taken before she left for Eureka two years ago. Her arms were wrapped tight around his neck, and he had an arm around her waist, holding her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. Tears slid down her cheeks, as she closed her eyes. "Hey! Get away from her desk!" His head snapped up and he backed up as Carter moved towards him.

"I was just-" But Carter refused to let him finish. Instead, he grabbed the younger man's shoulder and shoved him into the cell, locking it behind him.

"You, stay here. I have something I have to do-" He mumbled something inchoherent, as he left, and after a moment, Zane took a seat on the cot. He removed his sweatshirt, glancing around. The place felt... strange, small town-y, but if Jo was here-

_Speak of the devil, and she doth appear, in her trademark deputy tans._

He opened his mouth, but his wife seemed oblivious to the new prisoner in her cell. She tossed her jacket on the coat rack, and then grabbed something off a nearby rack, and took a seat at her desk. He leaned close; it was a gun- a Bonejack to be precise. Of course, Jo and her firearms. They'd spent hours at the pistol range in downtown Manhattan, firing rounds, until the smell of smoke was so thick on her skin, it draped around her like a cloak. He thought a moment, and then climbed to his feet. If she was oblivious, then he'd play with her until she realized who he was. Leaning against the bars, he watched her lovingly clean her gun; much like the way she'd brush Ash or stroke his chest after sex. He hesitated, second-guessing whether he should do this, but the possibility to play with her was too great to resist.

"Obsession with firearms can be a sign of unfulfilled sexual appetite. I'm not saying that's you, but if it is, I'm at your service." In a matter of minutes, he had jumped back, holding his hands up in surrender. He wasn't expecting his wife to be on her feet, aiming a gun at him for that innocent banter- banter she was used to, even enjoyed partaking in back home. "Whoa, whoa! I was kidding!"

"Jo. Jo! Don't shoot the prisoner!" She glanced back at the sheriff, raising an eyebrow.

"How 'bout I just wing him?" Carter sighed.

"No. Down. Allison wants him at GD alive." With a sneer of annoyance, she uncocked her gun and laid it back on the desk. Without glancing towards the cell, she grabbed three bracelets from a drawer in her desk and held them out to Carter. The thick metal was cool between her fingers, reminding her of the wedding ring she wore, of the man she missed so desperately.

"Better use these then."

"Bracelets?"

She snorted at Carter's everyman confusion. "They're geodetic coordinate transceivers. They'll show his location within one meter, and if he tries to run, it's also got a restraint field."

"An emerging gravitron field generator?" Zane asked, catching his wife's eye as Carter came to him and slipped a bracelet around his wrist before putting one around his own. "Very cool." She glanced at him, and then turned to finish cleaning her gun, when she did a double take. Her mouth dropped; she couldn't believe what she was seeing. That... that couldn't possibly be- not after two years apart- _I could be joining you in a year or two._ Tears began to cloud her vision. That jackass had been right.

"Ah... _Zane_?" Before Carter could ask, Jo was on her feet and rushing towards the cell. "Oh my God! Zane what are you doing here, babe?"

"'Babe'? Jo... you... ah... you know this guy?" Carter asked, surprised at the sight of his deputy rushing towards the latest prisoner in her cell. Jo ignored him, reaching through the bars to take his hands. Her slender fingers ran up his arms, cradling his face lovingly as her dark eyes drank him in hungrily. He grinned at her, reaching through the bars to brush his fingers along her waist. She stepped closer, allowing his hand to lovingly caress her hip, as tears slipped down her cheeks. "Um, Jo?"

Neither noticed Carter's discomfort. Softly, Zane mouthed the three words he'd been dying to say to her in person for two years, and she grinned, sniffling. Voice just as soft, she returned the sentiment, moving her fingers along his skin to tangle her fingers in his dark hair. "What are you doing here?" She choked out, licking her lips.

"They hired me." She raised her eyebrows. "Don't give me that look. Ms. Blake hired me; said it was an alternate to jail-"

"What did you do?" She demanded, pulling away and putting her hands on her hips. He rolled his eyes.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Jojo." She narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything. She'd talk to him later, after work.

"And Ms. Blake- you mean Allison?" He nodded. "Yeah, she's... eh, okay. For a D.O.D. liasion."

"Wait, so let me get this straight-" The pair turned to Carter, who was leaning against Jo's desk. The sheriff looked from Jo to Zane and back, trying to put the pieces of this obvious relationship together with the pieces of the woman he knew who'd been working by his side for the last two years. "You're... Jo, you're... _married_?" She nodded.

"You've known that, Carter." She replied, slipping a hand between the bars and taking Zane's hand, giving it a quick squeeze. Zane squeezed her hand back, playing gently with her fingers. "Hell, you've known that since you started as sheriff." She replied, voice rising. Zane tugged gently on her hand, and she glanced over her shoulder.

"You told him?" She nodded, licking her lips.

"I'll explain later." She turned back to Carter, squaring her shoulders. "Anything else you want to discuss, Carter?" She asked, pulling her hand away and crossing her arms. Carter shrugged, riasing his eyebrows.

"Honestly, Jo, I don't know where to start. Um..." He sighed. "How about the beginning?" Carter watched a brief flash of emotion cross her face, and at the pained look in her dark eyes, the sheriff knew he'd struck a major nerve with his deputy. Jo didn't talk about her past; she didn't mention her family, her mom, barely mentioned her military service. The only reason he knew about her marriage, was because he'd asked her about it after the incident with the senator the year before, when he'd seen the gold band on her finger, next to the engagement ring that sparked in the light. Jo had only briefly mentioned his name, but Carter hadn't put it together until now. "Wait, so... so this is Zane? This is your Zane? The... husband you're so madly in love with?" He asked, suddenly connecting the dots.

"_Yes,_ this is _my_ Zane. You got a problem with that?" She demanded, stepping forward. Carter held up his hands in surrender. A moment passed, before she met his eyes.

"So... how about you two start at the beginning?"

Jo swallowed, crossing her arms over her chest as she glanced away. Tears began to mist her eyes, and she took a deep breath. Zane noticed his wife tense up, and laid a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back at him, covering his hand with hers in a soft squeeze before pulling away and going to her desk. She quickly wiped at her eyes, and took a seat, swallowing. Zane watched as his wife seemed to morph from the gentle woman he loved into the Army sergeant he'd written to in Afghanistan. "I... If he tries to escape, hit the button."

Carter, noticing that he'd crossed a line, nodded, and glanced down at the bracelet on his wrist. "Button?" He scanned the metal for any sign of a button; something red and shiny that people like Fargo weren't allowed to touch. He found nothing. "Um.. Jo, what if-" But shocking blue light and a girlish scream that could only come from him drowned out his words, and he jumped, holding his wrist as he heard,

"Got a button." Rolling her eyes, Jo held out her own wrist and hit the button on her bracelet, shutting off the electricity.

"Carter!" The Carter in question dropped his wrist, groaning in minor pain, and he glanced first at Jo and then at Zane, before removing his bracelet and stalking towards the cell. Jo caught her husband's eye and chuckled softly. He grabbed Zane's arm, tugging him towards the bars and swapping bracelets. Then, he quickly unlocked the cell, grabbing his shoulder and shoving him forward. "At least you know it works." Jo said, returning to cleaning her gun. Zane glanced back at her as he and Carter left the office.

* * *

He'd never seen a building as complicated a labyrinth as the one he was currently in. It was an impressive mass of steel and granite, but the only thing he could really focus on was the sight of his wife back in the sheriff's office. It had been two years since they'd been back together, living in the same place, without one of them having to catch a flight back to wherever they were currently living. From what he'd seen of her today, his wife looked just as beautiful now as when he'd seen her last- at Christmas a year ago. She was still the same, beautiful young woman he'd married back in oh-five, just older, slimmer, gentler. She'd been genuinely surprised to see him, so apparently Blake hadn't said a word to-

"You're doctoral thesis was on the origins of the universe, right?" Allison asked; Zane snapped out of his thoughts, turning a charming smile her way. He thought a moment, disgesting what she'd asked. Oh, his doctoral thesis, right. That.

"First one." He replied, following her into a lab with a viewing containment field. Carter trailed behind, barely listening. Zane glanced behind him; he wished Jo had come instead of the sheriff, even having his wife close was a treat considering the two years they spent apart. He was greeted with a deep voice and an ego the size of this building.

"This the new kid?" Instantly, Zane swiveled towards the voice, a sneer on his features as he took in the man who'd spoken. Dr. Nathan Stark. He'd read about the 'great' Nathan Stark, Nobel Prize winner and all around pain in the ass. From what he'd read, he didn't like him.

"Who you callin' 'kid', Spartacus?" He snapped in response. Stark chuckled.

"Oh, cocky, I like it." Carter rolled his eyes.

"You would." Allison's rich chocolate mezzo- so simliar to his wife's that for a moment, he thought she'd spoken- broke through the conversation, and he turned towards the huge viewing window before them.

"You actually built it?" He met Allison's gaze in the glass, and she nodded. He couldn't possibly believe what he was seeing.

"What... did we build?" Carter asked; clearly, he was one of those- normal people. Kind of like Jo, except ordinary. Jo was anything but ordinary.

"A chaotic inflation device." He said, leaning on the ledge to get a better look. It was a simple design; a layered particle field using four generators to contain the explosion.

"it will recreate the origin singularity in this observable containment field."

"The big bang." Henry clarfied at Carter's confused look. "Supercritical ignition will take place twent-four hours after we start the device."

"And if it works, it will show us the first moments of the universe." Stark cut in.

"And potentially rewrite every cosmological theory we know." Allison finished, turning away from the observation field and going to the computers seperating htem from Henry and Stark.

* * *

"So, tell me how you ended up married to my deputy." Carter said, directing him to a table in the small patio area outside Cafe Diem. Zane met the sheriff's eye, not liking the suspicous gleam in his eye.

"That's none of your business. Jojo and I perfect together, and you don't need to know how my wife and I-" He glanced behind him when he heard his wife's soft chuckle. "met." She was talking to someone outside the cafe, hands in her pockets, her black bun tight at the back of her head. Images of that long black hair down around her shoulders, tumbling around him in soft curls, his fingers twisting and tangling in the locks as their lips met and their bodies connected.

"Seriously, why Jo? Why my deputy?" Zane shrugged, grinning.

"Why should I tell you?" He asked, turning back to the sheriff as Jo joined them at the table. "Hey babe. What are you doing here?" He asked, reaching out and taking her hand as she took a seat beside him.

"I figured I'd join you and Carter for lunch. See how things have been going." Zane and Carter shared a quick glance, before the sheriff moved to leave the table.

"I'm gonna go... lunch..." And with that, he was gone. Jo chuckled, watching as he disappeared into the crown towards the grill. Once he was gone, she turned back to her husband, slipping her fingers into his.

"How are you?" He shrugged. "Just okay?" She asked, leaning close.

"Better. Now that you're here." She grinned as he closed the gap, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. A moment passed, as she reached up, cradling his cheek as the kiss deepened. "I've missed you, Jojo." She brushed her fingers over his cheek as she pulled away.

"Zane, people are watching." He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"I don't care." He kissed her again, holding her against his body, relishing in the feel of his wife's body against his. His eyes snapped open, and he pulled away at the sight of Carter beginning to make his way back to them. "Great." She turned.

"What's a'matter? Carter?" He groaned, meeting her gaze. "Right. Sorry. You'd better go get napkins. Lunch is here." As he slipped out of the chair and moved past her, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a soft kiss.

"Here you go, Jo." She took the plate, giving th sheriff a small smile as he set the other two plates down.

"Thank you." Carter glanced around, finally noticing that her husband wasn't there.

"Where's he-" He took a deep breath to call for him, before he remembered the bracelet on his wrist- the twin to the one Jo wore. After a moment, he pressed the button, and felt silent gratification as the shock and startled cry; yellow napkins flew everywhere as Zane stood, tossing the paper everywhere with a shout.

"What the hell, I was getting napkins!" Jo chuckled as Zane snatched up a few and returned to the table, taking a seat next to his wife. "Um..." He glanced at the deputy, sharing a look that Carter couldn't read. "I'm not eating that." He watched as his wife took a bite of the salad she'd gotten from the cafe.

"Oh come on, it's chicken. You eat chicken, everyone does." Carter replied. Jo sucked the dressing from her finger and glanced at her husband, sharing another unreadable look. It was then that he noticed that Jo hadn't touched the chicken on her plate, preferring to focus on her salad.

"Uh, we don't." Jo replied. "Beef and turkey, veal, fine, but chicken. No."

Carter raised his eyebrows at her. "You never said anything to me about you not eating chicken-"

"Well I usually don't have you watching me _eat_." She replied. "But no, I don't eat chicken. Neither does Zane. Why would we? It's disgusting." Her gaze briefly dropped to the chicken on Carter's plate, and she snarled at it before returning to her salad. Zane snatched a cruton from his wife's salad, to which she lightly smacked his hand, and he grinned at her, kissing her softly, which made the sheriff start to lose his appetite. He never thought of Jo as the warm and cuddly type.

"Do you know how chickens are raised?" Zane asked, pulling away. Jo shook her head.

"Zane, don't." She drawled softly. "Remember what happened last time? Amy's brother nearly deviated your septum, when _I'm_ the only one allowed to do that." Carter's brow furrowed as Jo mentioned an incident that was obviously before his- and Eureka's- time for the young couple. He caught sight of his deputy screwing up her face as her husband opened his mouth; clearly, she was used to these instances.

"Jammed together in a windowless warehouse, wading in feces until-" He sliced his hand across neck, hissing softly. "they get decapitated. Or pecked to death. When you eat that chicken, you're eating all that hate."

* * *

"I have to _sleep_ in here?"

"Carter."

"At least you're not wading in your own feces." Carter muttered, taking a seat at his desk. Jo leaned against her desk, watching the exchange with a calculating eye. "GD has a house for you, but you're a criminal, and you don't deserve it."

"He's my husband, Carter. Can't he just come home with me?" Jo demanded, getting up. "I promise _nothing_ will happen. I'll just be happy to sleep in his arms tonight." She whispered, meeting Zane's eye. Carter rolled his eyes.

"I don't care if he's your husband, Jo, he's still a criminal." Zane glared at him.

"_You_ may think I'm a criminal, but my mom loves me, and she wouldn't appreciate you insulting her boy." He glanced at Jo, raking his eyes up and down her figure slowly through the bars. "And neither would my wife." Carter groaned, logging off of his computer. Jo shot her husband a quick look, before going to her own computer. She barely registered Zane and Carter's conversation about baseball, only looking up when Carter left. Once he was gone, she grabbed her keys and got up, going to the cell and unlocking it. Closing it behind her, she went to the cot and took a seat. Silent, she patted the cot beside her.

"Come 'ere." A moment passed as Zane set the remote down and joined her. "Hello."

He grinned at her. "Hello." Slowly, he slid a hand around her waist and up her back, tugging her closer to capture her lips. She wrapped an arm around his neck, holding him close as she drank in his kiss. "I missed you." They rested foreheads, enjoying the feel of being in the same state for once in the last two years.

"Me, too. So, so much." She slipped her other hand up his chest, stopping and resting over his heart. Their lips met again, and slowly, sneakily, he began unbuttoning her top as he pushed her back on the bed. Gently, he pushed her top to the side, exposing her white tank, as his lips slid from hers to her neck and down to her collarbone. She tangled her fingers in his hair, enjoying the feel of his lips and hands on her skin again, and as he tightened his grip on her waist, she let her eyes flutter close briefly. "I've missed you so much, Zane-" Her eyes snapped open as she felt the cot shift beneath them, and after a moment, she pushed him away. "Zane, Zane, babe. We can't. Not here. Not now. If Carter had to come back for something-" He groaned softly, resting his forehead to hers as her sudden shift in attitude killed the mood.

"Way to kill the mood, Jojo." She glared at him, running a hand up his arm and cradling his neck as she sat up.

"Zane." He tugged her chin towards him, kissing her lightly as she got up. "But seriously, I have to get home. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you." He whispered it against her lips as she grabbed her keys and slipped out of the cell. He heard the door shut behind her, and once he was gone, turned to the remote, the taste of his wife still on his lips.


	11. Chapter 11

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: Day 2 of _E=MC?,_ page breaks included. **

_September 2, 2007_

"Oh, my God." The sight of delivery guys entering, dropping off and leaving met Jo as she came into the office the next morning. Zane's cell was decked out like a college dorm, and boxes littered the ground. Zane was calm, quesidilla in hand, and on the opposite end of the scale, Carter looked about ready to explode. Hearing Jo's quiet exclaimation, the sheriff turned, bright blue eyes landing on his deputy.

"He is _your husband_, your responsibility. Watch him." Before Jo could open her mouth, Carter was dashing from the office. A glare on her face, Jo turned to her husband. He held out the quesidilla, and she scoffed.

"You may get to him, Zane, but you won't get to me. I know all your_ tricks_-"

"Jo Lupo?" She turned, catching sight of the boxes of lingerie on the dolly sitting beside her and the deliveryman waiting for her signature. "I've got nineteen boxes of Liza's Lingerie, and... may I just say, God bless." She raised an eyebrow, turning to glance at her husband.

"It's been a while since I've seen you, so I had to guess the size. You're gonna have to try everything on. I'll make popcorn." He winked at her, and after a moment, she took the pad and pen. If Carter was paying for it... Once the guy was gone, she took a seat at her desk; the boxes stared at her from across the room.

"Zane," He looked up at her. She climbed to her feet, going to the cell and reaching for him between the bars. "Come here, babe." He went to her, taking her hands. "What were you thinking?" He yelped, jumping as she twisted his fingers. "Carter is going to kill you, you know that, right? And I would really rather have my husband home with me _alive_, than buried six feet under. Do I make myself clear?" He managed to pull his hands away as she ground out the last words, and stretching his fingers, he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, Jojo. Clear." She watched him retreat to the cot and pick up a magazine; satisfied that he was preoccupied for the moment, she went to the boxes. Silent, she lifted the lid of the first one and quietly moved the tissue aside to examine it. The lingerie was a soft satin, a rich, deep red, as smooth and soft as burgundy chardonnay. Glancing back at her husband, she lifted the top box off the pile and slipped off to the bathroom. It couldn't hurt to try it on; besides, she wasn't going to model them for Zane, but she could at least leave him guessing until he came home. Zane's favorite activity was getting her out of her clothes, leaving her in only her lingerie anyway, so why not have a little fun?

The door shut softly behind her, and balanced the box on the sink, before working on the buttons of her blouse. She folded it and hung it on the hook at the back of the door, before removing her tank and adding it. She lifted the bra from the box, running her fingers over the soft satin of the cup before she pulled it on. Once it was clapsed and settled comfortably on her body, she turned to her reflection. There was a slight push of the bra, giving her breasts a small lift, and the deep burgundy of the material set off her supple olive skin. She ran her hands over her torso, feeling the soft material, a small smile coming to her face. Her husband certainly knew what to pick to make her feel sexy. She quickly undid her slacks and shimmied out of them and her regular underwear, stepping into the thong that was the second half of the set. Yep, her husband_ definately_ had a knack for picking the right lingerie for her- not enough to be an obsession, as she had so often joked, but enough for her- and even Zane himself- to deem his interest a fetish. She quickly dressed, tucking her shirt back into her slacks and grabbing her regular underwear and slipping it into the now empty box. She poked her head out of the bathroom; Zane was absorbed in his magazine. If she acted quickly, she'd have enough time to get the other boxes out to her car before he noticed or Carter got back. And one small pile by one, she got the boxes in the back of her car and was back in the office at her desk before Carter pulled into his parking place.

"Jo! Jo, we've got a major problem!" She and Zane both looked up as Carter came rushing into the office, going to his desk. She glanced at her husband, rolling her eyes. "Everyone at GD- they're stupid!" At this, she and Zane shared a look before she got up, wandering over to his desk.

"What do you mean they're stupid?"

"I mean stupid, like-" She sneered as he made a couple ape sounds. "Stupid. Stupid."

_"Carter_, you can't catch stupid." She replied, holding up a hand to stop him. Zane, sitting in the chair in the cell and watching his wife and the sheriff discuss the situation, spoke up, propping his feet up on the small table at the edge of the cell.

"This may be my favorite conversation of all time." Jo glanced at him as Carter ignored him.

"Look, something happened to Allison and Henry and Stark and who knows else, but it happened right in the middle of that chaotic inflation thing."

"Wait, you left that thing running without anyone watching it?" Zane asked, climbing to his feet and rushing to the bars. He glanced at Jo, seeing the worry in her dark eyes; no doubt images of the day that had brought them together had started flashing through their mind.

"We've got it covered." Carter cut in. "Sort of." Zane's eyebrows rose.

"_Sort of_? You've got to clear out that building before that thing blows. It could take out the whole facility!" She winced; Zane, like her, was thinking of the terroist attacks, anything of that magnitude brought back painful memories.

"Look, don't worry about it, all right? We'll fix it." He caught Jo's incredulous look out of the corner of his eye. "What? We always fix it!"

"_We_ don't always fix it, Carter!" Jo replied. "Sometimes Henry does it, or Stark or Allison." She replied, listing people off on her fingers. "I'm just saying, we usually have smart people to lean on." A look of hurt crossed Carter's face, and his mouth dropped.

"Hey! I'm smart! I'm plenty smart!" He snapped, not seeing the looks shared between husband and wife.

"I mean science smart._ Don't get snappy_!" Jo growled, doing all but jabbing the sheriff in the chest with her finger. Zane snorted softly at the sight; his mother was scary, but she was nothing compared to his wife. It was only really bad when they tag-teamed. Carter, realizing he was out of options, turned to Zane.

"You're coming to GD."

Zane instantly backed up. "I'm not touching that experiment. If I start pushing buttons, I could accelerate the decay of that field."

"Then we need the guys who designed that machine." Jo turned to the sheriff, leaning on the desk.

"Okay, you said they're all dumb."

"Then we need to figure out why." He replied. "Let's make a list of all those who've been affected." He studied her for a moment. "How you feel? You feel dumb?" Jo raised an eyebrow, leaning close. She shook her head.

"No. You?" Zane, leaning on the bars, glanced at his wife and muttered,

"How could you tell?" Without looking at him, both Carter and Jo hit the buttons on their bracelets, sending double the shock through Zane's wrist. The younger man yelped in pain, puling away from the bars and doubling over as the spark hit. "Sonofa-"

"Maybe it's only affecting the people at GD. I'll held up there, you pull evacuation plans." He rushed off, leaving Jo alone with Zane.

"You should help, Zane." She said, pointing at him as she went to her desk. He glanced towards the doors Carter had rushed from, and then turned back to his wife.

* * *

She could hear the wheels turning in his head and knew the look on his face without having to look at him, as she leaned over her chair and checked her mail. It was the same look he often got when he was evaluating something intriguing- _You're wearing one of my presents under there, aren't you?_ Without a word, she hit the button, sending him jumping with a pained yelp. "Okay, I deserved that, Jojo. This is nice work. How did you get enough phase power for biometric lock? Redox battery?"

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "No. It's a nano-titnate cell." He chuckled, galncing at the bracelet on his wrist.

"How do you keep the amp load from shorting out, Jojo?"

"It's a dialectric waveguide." She replied, straightening and picking up the folder on the specs.

"Why don't you let me take a look at that containment structure for you, Jojo, and maybe you can help me if I help you." She raised an eyebrow as she stepped up to the bars. "How about... you go pick up lunch, and maybe we can... have a picnic here in the cell." She let her eyes rove down and then back up before she turned and left the office. Lunch with her husband was too tempting to pass up. Once she was gone, Zane flipped through the specs, keeping his promise to Jo, before quickly working the bracelet off his wrist. He reached under the pillow on the cot, pulling out the key he'd ordered from Ithaca Lock Company the previous night and slipped it into the lock, freeing himself from the cell. He then went to Carter's desk and wrapped the bracelet around the lamp. He pulled his sweatershirt on, and with one last glance, rushed from the office. As Jo slipped into the sheriff's office five minutes later, she kicked herself for being so gullible to her husband's charm. Two years away had made her soft and pliable to his easy-going smiles.

"Damn it, Jo! You had to tell him how to hack the lock!"

* * *

"The state police are on _every_ road out of town. They'll find him." Needless to say, Carter was not happy to hear that Jo had unknowingly helped her husband escape. Jo sighed, taking a seat on the cot. She chuckled softly, looking up at her partner.

"No they won't Carter. Zane's good. He knows how to hide. Trust me, I know him." She ran her fingers over a pillow, getting lost in her thoughts. This brought up bad memories of their Tuesday morning as they tried to escape the dust cloud that had taken over lower Manhattan as the towers fell. People had run, had hidden; all had been caught up in the dust and debris of what had once been the Twin Towers. It brought back memories of that horrific day, when she, Zane, and thousands of others faced Hell on Earth. And it scared her.

"We've got the GD computer, Jo. Didn't you say once that it can run probabilities for any escape route? Like the maps he's downloaded, every phone call he's ever made. No one in this world knows Zane better than this computer. Right, Jo?" She glanced up at him, then down at her hand. His grandmother's ring sparked in the light, and she stopped.

"Actually, Carter. Someone might." He furrowed his brow.

"Besides you?" She sprang to her feet, rushing to her desk and grabbing her cellphone.

"Besides me." Quickly, she scrolled through the numbers, finding the one she wanted. Carter watched her hit call, and she leaned against her desk as she waited for the person to pick up. "Hey! Mom it's me... good to hear from you too. Uh-huh... yeah... listen, I don't really have to chat, I actually have a question to ask you... Yeah, Zane's here. He... he's here... that's what I wanted to ask you about, Mom." Carter sighed, taking a seat in Jo's chair as he watched Jo talk to her mother-in-law. The two sounded the genuinely get along; a fact that surprised Carter for someone as young as Jo to enjoy talking to her mother-in-law; most in-law relationships were so strained, it took everything to keep from killing the other. Clearly, this wasn't the case. "Okay... really? Okay I'll check. Thanks, Mom... um... yeah, we... of course we'll be back for Thanksgiving... and Christmas... and..." Her dark eyes misted over, and Carter fought the urge to ask what she meant when she choked out, "Of course, we wouldn't miss the anniversary. Haven't missed it since, have I? We... we'll be there. Uh-huh... I love you too, Mom. Thanks. Bye."

"Everything okay, Jo?" She looked up as she shut her phone, and slipped it into her pocket.

"Um... yeah. Look, let me go find Zane, you just work on fixing this, okay?" He opened his mouth to speak, but she was out of the office without a glance back. Quickly, she swiped at her eyes as she climbed into her car and pulled out, heading fifty miles out of town. It was always good to hear from Tessa, but at the mention of the Nine-Eleven attacks, she knew she had to get back on track and find Zane. And losing it over the phone with Carter watching wasn't acceptable. She could lose it later when she was at home, safe in Zane's arms. She had nine days before a flight to New York would take her back to mark the seventh anniversary.

Eventually, she pulled up to the cabin, fifty miles from Eureka. Using all her military training, she slipped out of the car, pulling her gun on instinct and making her way around the delapidated building. She stopped, glanced down at her hands, and promptly put the gun away. She couldn't seriously have considered shooting her husband. Sure, he was a pain in the ass sometimes, but still...

Call it reflex.

Silently, she watched him glance around the cabin, before going to the boarded up windows. As he began tugging on a board to loosen it, she cleared her throat, and spoke up, leaning back against the side. "Mhmm... don't you know that breaking and entering is a bad idea all the way around?" Zane stumbled back, turning to lay eyes on his wife. He choked out a nervous laugh, slipping his hands in his pockets.

"I thought you'd send that idiot sheriff to find me instead of coming yourself, Jojo. What'd you do? Refocus some of your satilites to pick me up? Figured-"

"Fifty miles from Eureka was far enough?" She finished for him as she pushed herself away from the wall. "You vacationed here when you were ten, babe. Off the main roads; good place to hide out for a few days." She drawled, wandering towards him as he climbed onto a stump and walked the three in front of him like a child balancing on the curb of a street. He knelt down.

"I guess my FBI file must be more detailed than I thought-"

"Not in your file, babe." He narrowed his eyes.

"Then that computer of yours must have an amazing predictive algorithm." She pursed her lips, thinking.

"Didn't use the computer." Jo watched him for a moment, considering her words carefully. "Oh, I almost forgot. Mom says to tell you hello, and that she hope's you're doing okay, and that she'll meet us at the airport on the tenth so we can go to the anniversary marking... oh, and that the next time I call, it better have less you running or being caught by the cops and more involving grandchildren." Her husband chuckled, calling her bluff, until he met her eye. The look on her face told him that this was no bluff. He swallowed, choking on his words.

"You... you called Mom?" She thought a moment, nodding.

"Yeah, I called Mom." She turned to go, cocking her head when he didn't follow. "Come on." As he followed, she reached behind her, taking his hand in hers. Their fingers laced, and she brought his hand to her lips, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand as they made it to her car. She shoved him into the passenger seat and then climbed in, pulling away from the cabin with a glance at her husband. The majority of the ride was quiet, until they got into town.

"Carter needs to know what you did with that experiment. Allison, Henry, Stark, those people need to be back on their game, Zane, this is serious!" She snapped.

"Whoa, you think I'd intentionally mess up that experiment, Jojo? You know me better than that!" She sighed in agitation.

"Zane-"

"I wouldn't mess with it, Jo! Because it's beautiful, and if works, it could change the laws of physics." She swallowed.

"Then why are you running from it? From me? From _us_?" He clicked his mouth shut, turning to look out the window, though he didn't miss the twinge of hurt in his wife's voice. "The way I see it, Zane, you have two options. Either you're with me, or you're against me." He glanced at her.

"It's your problem, Jojo, why should I help?"

"Because if you would stop being a selfish jackass for more than five minutes- be the man I_ know_ is in there, the man I_ love_- you'd see that you could part of something, Zane! A community. _Our_ community." He turned to look at her.

"What makes you think I give a crap about finding a community, Jojo?" She sighed, swallowing her temper to keep from reaching over and strangling him.

"Because we all do, Zane. Because _I_ do. And you should too. I'm your_ wife_! This is where I live! This is _my_ home, and it's been empty and bleak since we were seperated. I am so happy you're here, and I want you to make this your home too- _our_ home. Zane, this is our chance to make our life the way we _always_ talked about. Remember the conversations we'd have? About... making our own life? Maybe this... will give us a chance to forget the past and start our future, like you told me two years ago. Or did you forget? Because I haven't." He sighed as they pulled up to GD. As she climbed out of the car, he grabbed her hand. She turned back to him, meeting his eyes.

"Jojo. I love you, I would never leave you. I'm not running from you, you_ have_ to know that. I never would." She searched his eyes, nodding.

"I know."

* * *

They met Allison and Carter in the conference room. Allison had pulled up a holographic, detailed image of the structure they were currently in. Both looked up as the couple entered, and Jo shoved him gently towards the image as she joined Carter. "So you-"

"We're good." She whispered, cutting the conversation short.

"Cookie?" The deputy turned to see Allison, sitting at the table, a brown bag in front of her, that obviously held some sort of jelly-filled cookies.

"Um... no thanks, Allison." She replied, turning back to Zane, who was working out calculations in his head.

"He's just standing there."

"He's thinking." Jo cut in.

"He doesn't look like he's thinking. He looks _sick_."

"Because containment's down to fourteen percent. When that chaotic device blows, that field's going to fail."

"You have forty-three minutes to figure out a way to make it stronger." Carter added. Jo licked her lips, going to her husband.

"So figure it out. And the answer is?" Allison demanded.

"Clear the building."

"Babe, all nonessential personnel are gone. _Focus._ You're one of the top guys here." She whispered, reaching out to rub his back. Carter noticed how her simple touch was relaxing his shoulders, drawing some of the tension away and letting him figure out the rest of the problem. Seemed Jo knew exactly how to calm her husband down. Carter sighed, adding his two cents,

"You not only won the Spadaro award, they don't even bother to give it out anymore."

"They stopped giving it out because someone stole all Mrs. Spadaro's money. They hacked her system; even I couldn't find out how. If I couldn't help her, I can't help you. It would take me eighteen hours to rebuild that thing, and if it blows without containment, it'll cut right through the metal shielding and gut the building." He hit the button, watching as the image disappeared. Jo continued rubbing his back, glancing at Carter and Allison.

"Could you bring in more shielding?" He thought a moment, turning to his wife. Allison excitedly agreed, but Zane quickly shot her exctiement down.

"It would take at least a hundred tons of metallic hydrogen sheets."

"That's not good!" Allison said, dropping into her chair.

"Could you reinforce it with something? Make it stronger?" Jo asked, meeting his gaze.

"Another field around the field or double it or reinforce it with something?" Carter asked. Jo shot him a look that clearly screamed, _I just asked that!_

"Duct tape!" Allison cried, standing.

"Like duct tape." Carter muttered, as the other two turned to her.

"It's a layered particle field. The only way to reinforce it is with another layered particle field..." He turned to Jo. " Like an emergent gravitron field. The bracelets!"

"They're in the car!" Carter rushed off to get them, and she followed Zane from the conference room. They found Henry and Stark in the lab, where Carter had told them to stay, and after a moment, Zane strode towards them. He took a deep breath and spoke up.

"We're gonna build a second force field to contain this one. I need binned gradients and a way into the aiming circuits." He said, as Jo joined him. Stark and Henry looked around, not paying attention. Jo rubbed his back to keep him calm, even as he smacked Stark's shoulder to get him to pay attention. "Guys! This is where you say something."

"I think it was..." Henry started.

"Red." Stark cut in, holding his head.

"Or red like." Henry added. Jo caught Zane's eye.

"Great." She muttered. Zane rolled his eyes. Minutes passed as Stark looked around, eventually pulling the top off what looked like a computer harddrive.

"Perfect." He looked up as Carter entered, Allison in tow. "I've got the bracelets-" Jo snatched them from him and rushed to her husband. Without glancing at her, he took them, and quickly began reworking the wiring.

"How much time do we have?" Allison asked.

"Not much." Carter replied.

"Not helping!" Jo snapped, as her hands found his back and began rubbing. "Focus, babe." She whispered, watching as he worked.

"The bracelets create a bubble of charged gravitons. If I can jack into the aiming circuit and get the timing right, I might reinforce the field long enough to contain the explosion."

"I have no clue about anything you just said." Henry said, laughing. Jo and Carter turned to him.

"He's gonna contain it." Carter said, as Henry stopped to stare at him. "What?"

"I... I'm sorry, Jack, I just realized this is how you must feel all the time." Carter glanced at Jo and Zane, before nodding with a soft 'that's nice.' But any further conversation was cut off as the building rumbled.

"Zane! You want to turn that second shield on?" Carter asked, as he and Jo rushed up to join Zane at the observation window. Jo wrapped her arms around her husband, inserting herself into his arms, wanting to spend that last moments of her life in his embrace if this plan of his failed.

"I have to time it right. I overcranked the snot out of this thing. The field will only last three seconds." He, Carter and everyone else watched, waiting for the right time. "Not yet. Not yet!... Don't let me die in this crap town. Now!" He pressed the button, wrapping his arms around his wife and burying his face in her hair as the shield worked, blinding everyone with a bright white light.

* * *

With the data recovered and safe, Jo left Carter with a promise to see him at Cafe Diem, taking Zane along with her. As they climbed into her car, she leaned over, taking his face in her hands. "Thank you." He gave her a soft smile.

"For what?" She didn't say anything for several minutes, instead, just stroked her thumbs over his cheeks before she leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"For saving the day." She whispered as they broke apart. A moment passed before he pulled her close and captured her lips again, nudging her mouth open with his and deepening the kiss. Jo reached up, curling a hand into his hair, before she climbed over the inset and into his lap. He slid his hands down her sides, wrapping them around her waist and pressing her against him. She giggled into the kiss, enjoying the feel of her body sliding against his. "I love you, Zane."

"I love you, Jojo." They deepened the kiss; he ran his hands up and down her back, relishing in the feel of her in his arms again. "So are we good, Jojo?" She bit her lip, pulling away and climbing back into the driver's seat.

"Ask me tonight." She teased, pulling out of the parking lot.

* * *

"Hey, what's the project status?" Both Carter and Allison looked up as Zane wandered in, minus Jo, who was at the counter, recieving her customary smoothie and chatting with Vincent.

"Everyone wants to get their hands on the data." She told him. Zane rolled his eyes.

"Big Bang whores, every one of 'em." He muttered to Carter.

"They'll have to wait. You get first crack at it, after Nathan, of course. Now if you two will excuse me, I have a whole building of people who are behind on their work, starting with those two." She pointed to Henry and Nathan. "And you can get going and go home with Jo as soon as Carter thinks that you're ready to be on your own. With Jo, of course." She amended, glancing towards the woman in question, who had joined Zoe and her friends in the doorway to chat. She sipped on her smoothie, lost in conversation with the teens. With one last smile at Zane, she went to Nathan and Henry, leaving the younger man with Carter. Zane shrugged, rocking back on his heels.

"Any idea when that will be?"

"When you're too old to run." The sheriff replied. Zane rolled his eyes. "Go. Find the secrets to the universe... I think I'm gonna get some pie." Zane raised an eyebrow, folliwing him to the counter and taking a seat.

"Wait a minute. I keep one bomb from exploding and you think you can trust me, no matter if Jo's my wife or not?" Carter chuckled.

"No. It was Mrs. Spadaro." Zane dropped his gaze. "Turns out she's giving her award again this year because someone made an anonymous gift to her foundation of three point one million dollars." Zane swallowed, glancing up at him.

"You gonna turn me in?" Carter studied him, and then glanced at Jo.

"There's a federal staute protecting the anominity of charitable donations, so... Mrs. Spadaro's money is safe." Zane nodded.

"I guess you want these back." He said, pulling the bracelets from his pockets and setting them on the counter. "I'm sure you'll find some use for them." He turned back, watching as he wife laughed at something Zoe said. She twirled the straw of her smoothie between her fingers, and briefly caught his eye with a smile. That simple, small smile was enough to set his blood boiling and his heart racing, and with a grin at Carter, he got up, wandering over to Jo, who instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his quickly. They spoke softly together for several minutes, before she tugged him towards the door. With a last glance at Carter, she pulled him out of the doorway, and the two wandered hand in hand down the street, towards the sheriff's office.


	12. Chapter 12

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: This isn't going to be every episode of Season 2 and 3, because that would be way too long, and I'm trying to force myself to keep the stories shorter (at least under thirty chapters). This, is _God is in the Details_. **

_September 9, 2007 _

She stretched, letting the feel of her joints and muscles relaxing sink her further into the mattress. An arm tightened around her waist, and she turned, to find her husband still sound asleep. A soft chuckle escaped her lips, and she turned back to read the time on the clock.

Six-ten.

September Ninth, Two-Thousand-Seven.

Her sudden relaxation vanished as her eyes fixed on the date. Did... did it _really_... She swallowed, reaching out and grabbing the clock, pulling it close to study it. With her other hand, she raked her hair back from her face, ignoring the tug as Zane tried pulling her pliable body back towards his. No, she wasn't seeing things. It was the ninth, which meant that tomorrow, she and Zane would be catching a flight to Jersey, where they would stay with her dad, and then in the morning- Tuesday morning, she realized with a shiver- they would drive up to Manhattan, attend the service commemoriating the attacks at Ground Zero, and she would stand with Jadie's husband, Mike, and her boys, Jake and Nick, and read the names of her friends to thousands while the news broadcast it around the world, like she'd done every year since the attack. She would lay flowers at Ground Zero, as photographers snapped pictures of the grieving, and afterwards, they'd return to Jersey, and she'd find herself watching one of the countless documentaries played about that horrific day. Without saying a word, she kicked the blankets off herself, and got up, pulling out of Zane's embrace. She set the clock back on the bed and quickly pulled on a pair of her husband's boxers and a tank top, pulling her hair back into a messy ponytail as she made her way downstairs.

Light still off, she wandered into the kitchen and fixed a cup of coffee, before going into the living room and turning on the TV. She set the cup down, pulling her laptop towards her on the coffee table, and quickly checked her e-mail. She found countless messages and condolences pertaining to this upcoming saddest of Tuesdays, from friends, family, old military buddies. So absorbed in the various e-mails was she, that she didn't notice the documentary she was watching until she heard the sound of bodies hitting cement, and realized it was the _Nine-Eleven_ documentary released in two-thousand-two, a year after the attack.

"_'First, it was because debris was falling outside. Then, it was people falling._'" She looked up, watching the chaos on the screen, hearing the sound of bodies slamming into cement. Quickly, she covered her mouth to keep from crying out so she wouldn't wake Zane; tears slid down her cheeks as she watched, as she listened, and so caught up in the film, she didn't notice Zane until he laid a hand on her shoulder and she jumped, screaming.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Jojo! It's me! It's just me!" He took a seat beside her, noticing the tears on her face, the way her body shook with contained sobs, the ashen-ness of her skin. "Sweetheart, what are you... what are you doing down here? I woke up, I thought you went for a run, and then... then I heard the TV. I... I heard the smashing on the TV and came downstairs. Jojo, why are you watching this?" He asked, his immediate concern being to turn it off to save his wife from any further pain. But she grabbed his hand, ripping the remote from his grasp.

"No! I... I want... to watch..." She choked out, holding the remote as though it were a child. Ash, having followed Zane downstairs when he got up, came over to Jo, laying her head on her mistress's knees. Slowly, Jo reached out, scratching Ash behind the ears as her eyes locked on the screen.

"_'You don't see it, but you know what it is. And you know that every time you hear that crashing sound, it's a life which is extinguished. It's not something you can get used to, and the sound was so loud.'_" She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she listened to the voices on the documentary. Zane, unwilling to let his wife torture herself like this, reached for the remote again, but she refused to relinquish her grip.

"I'm _not_ letting you go through this. It's _bad enough_ that we have to suffer with the memories of living through that day, but to torture yourself by watching documentaries about that- that- inferno-"

"That attack cost me my three best friends, Zane! They died in that inferno! And who's to say they didn't jump? The flames reached over two hundred degrees! No one could hold out in conditions like that! No one! Who's to say they didn't slam into the concrete below to escape the heat?"

"If they did, then they took their fates into their own hands, and controlled how they were going to die, and they did it with dignity, Jojo. Remember that. They died with dignity." She nodded, turning back to the documentary.

_"'I just remember looking up, thinking, 'How bad is it up there that the better option is to jump?'_" She burst into tears, and Zane quickly gathered her to his chest, holding her tight to him as the documentary continue to play. Ash lay at their feet, getting as close as she could to her people. Zane buried his face in his wife's hair, whispering softly to her as she clung to him. When the documentary finished, he got up, helping Jo to her feet. He shut off her laptop and then scooped her up.

"Zane-"

"Shh. Let me take care of you, Jojo. Let me take care of you." When he set her down, it was in the bathroom, and he turned on the shower, quickly stripping them both down and helping her under the water. She pulled away, mistaking his intentions, but he pulled her back to him. "Shh. Just calm, Jojo. Calm. That's my girl." She let him wash her hair, held onto him as he finished cleaning the stress and worry from her body, and then his own. When he wrapped the towel around her body and led her back to the bedroom, he pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. At that point, it was nearly eight-thirty, and she had church at nine. In a daze, she climbed to her feet, and slowly began to get dressed; Zane was already dressed and pulling his shoes on.

"I need to get ready. Church starts at nine, I can't be late." She worked robotically, pulling on a light little sundress and white sandals before grabbing her brush and yanking it through her hair. Zane took the brush from her, running it slowly through her long dark hair. "Enjoy it." He whispered, kissing her softly as they headed downstairs. She turned back to him on the porch.

"Aren't you coming with me?" Confusion filled her gaze; after the attacks, she'd been amazed Zane would come with her- mainly only because Tessa had twisted his arm; Jo had known, when she married Zane that he didn't believe in any sort of deity or God, and she'd accepted it. She loved Zane, no matter his views on religion, yet they never discussed it and never challenged each others' views on the subject. However, whenever Zane griped on Jo's beliefs in a deity, Jo always responded with an equal amount of bite. Religion was the _one_ topic they didn't discuss. Zane wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"You know I'm allergic, Jojo. I'd have to get a new inhaler, it'd be a whole... thing." He grimaced, enjoying the small chuckle that escaped his wife's lips. She sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well, I'll be back in an hour or so." She turned to go when he grabbed her arm.

"Hey. Come 'ere." He tugged her back, holding her against him, to stare into her eyes. "How about, I meet you in Cafe Diem for brunch? Huh? Take our minds off where we have to be in two days. What do you say?" She met his gaze, nodding. "Okay. I'll see you soon." And with a last, steaming kiss, he let her go, watching her dash down the porch steps and get into the car to head to church.

* * *

"So, uh, Sunday special is Fallout Flapjacks. That's pumpkin pancakes with a radioactive swirl of cream cheese and nutmeg." Zane grinned.

"That sounds great, but I'm waiting for somebody. He replied, holding up the rose.

"Who's the lucky lady?" The chef asked, searching Zane's person; his eyes lit on a ring on his hand, and he struggled to keep from asking if it was a wedding ring. Vincent, like the rest of the town except for a select few, was also in the dark about Jo's marital status. Zane opened his mouth to speak when Jo stepped into the cafe, and met his eye. Instantly, Zane stood, a grin forming in response to her appearance. Vincent followed his gaze.

"No!" Zane nodded. "I'm impressed. Getting Deputy Lupo into a dress." Zane chuckled, mentally scrolling through the times he'd seen Jo in the very feminine attire.

"So am I. And just a little scared." Vincent nodded in agreement before rushing off. Jo smoothed the skirt of her dress as Zane came towards her, holding the rose out. With a soft kiss to her cheek, he laid a hand on her back, guiding her towards the table. "You look beautiful." He whispered as he pulled the chair out for her. She glanced up at him, giving him a soft smile.

"You saw me in this before I left today."

"I know, but you still look absolutely beautiful." She reached up, brushing her fingers over his cheek as she nudged her nose against his. Vincent, back in the kitchen, was watching the pair, along with half the cafe- as discreetly as they could without all out going all-out voyeur. He pressed a soft peck to her lips, and then another and another, before taking her hand and sitting down across from her. When Vincent finally brought out their meal, he stopped, watching as Zane played with Jo's fingers before twisting the ring around her left ring finger.

"Here you go. Enjoy." The chef glanced from the ring on Zane's hand to the one on Jo's; both simple gold bands, both with a different contrasting rang as its mate. Only Jo and Zane knew about the mismatched mates; Zane's grandmother's engagment ring, and Jo's grandfather's ring. Both held special meaning to the people they had once belonged to, and had been meant to be worn with the simple gold wedding rings. It was a family tradition in Jo's family, that Zane had willingly agreed to. As Vincent scurried back to the kitchen, he leaned towards the nearest patron at the counter and whispered, "Deputy Lupo's married! To that young Dr. Donovan!" An instant chatter started up as the observation spread like wildfire from person to person, yet Jo and Zane were oblivious to only each other.

"So, how was church?" He asked after several minutes of silence, taking a sip of his drink as Jo took a bite of her pancakes. She chuckled softly, swallowing.

"Okay. It would have been better if you were there-" Zane set his knife down, giving her an exasperated look.

"Jojo, we've talked about this-"

"Look, I just think, with the anniversary coming up in two days, it wouldn't be such a bad thing if you went to church with me. That's what got us through this six years ago, Zane." He scoffed, pushing his plate away.

"Church did not get us through this six years ago, Jojo. Human contact did! No cry to some sort of higher deity helped us through what happened in Lower Manhattan- it didn't help anyone in Lower Manhattan! Being with other people, being together- that's what got us through. You and I. Not some god, Jo. You and I." He took her hand, showing her the rings she wore, and she pulled away, folding her arms on the table.

"The only reason we survived that day, Zane, is because-"

"We found each other, we got away from the buildings, and we were helped by the First Responders-"

"And one of those First Responders was Jadie's husband, Mike! He lost not only his wife and sister-in-law, but half of his crewmates! He watched the tower his wife was trapped in collapse to the ground, Zane! We watched those towers collapse! We survived, Zane. They didn't. So how can you dare tell me that God didn't have a plan for them, or for us?" Zane rolled his eyes.

"Jojo, there's nothing for you to get so upset about, okay? We are_ not_ to blame. We tried to help, and all we could do was save ourselves." She sniffled, struggling to keep her tears under control.

"You just took one conversation and completely spun it in the other direction!" She snapped, causing several heads to turn.

"Jo, the towers came down because of extremists, not some divine deity." He stated calmly.

"Three thousand people are dead, Zane. God had to have some hand in it." She replied, voice choked with tears.

"So, how is everything here?" The pair looked up, to see Vincent standing at their table. At the strained silence, he added, "Um... okay... how about a Vinspresso to top things off?" Zane gave him a quick smile, desperate to lighten the mood.

"That sounds great, Vince. Jo?" She met her husband's eye, before giving him a strained, small smile and getting up.

"No thanks. I... I have to get to work."

"You told me you have Sundays off." She stopped, turning back to him, thinking desperately of what to say.

"I do, but... I just remembered that I have some paperwork I forgot to finish. I... I'll see you at home, Zane." And without another word, she rushed from the cafe. Once she was safetly behind the office doors, she let the tears flow.

* * *

"... he will call when he-" She glanced up, to see her husband leaning in the doorway. "Zane." She sighed, sniffling. "Really not a good time, babe."

"I know. I got that impression when you took off." He wandered into the office, perching on the edge of her desk.

"Forget it, babe, it's nothing." She replied, getting up and putting a few files away.

"Really? Because I think it is, so either tell me why you're pissed at me or... I'll hold my breath until you do." She stopped, slamming the file door shut and turning to her husband.

"What are you, three?" He shrugged, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Hey, I black out, it's on you, Jojo." She walked back to the desk, crossing her arms over her chest as her husband inhaled and held his breath. A moment passed, and she sighed.

"It's not you, babe. It's... the anniversary. It's_ that_ day." He exhaled, leaning against her desk and looking up at her.

"Is this about the whole miracles thing that Carter's been chasing? Cause seriously, there's no such thing." She narrowed her eyes.

"Right. Because only _dumb_ people believe in something beyond tachyons and particle accelorators. Because only _dumb_ people believe in something that makes a hard situation a_ little easier_!" She snapped. Zane opened his mouth to respond, when Carter cut him off.

"Lupo!"

"You might want to hold off before you go making accusations." Henry said, following him.

"Accusations against who?" Jo asked, as Zane took a seat on her desk. She glanced at her husband, and he rolled his eyes.

"I tried to call you, but my radio's out. Looke, I think Reverend Harper is responsible for what's happening." Her mouth dropped at Carter's accusation, and she caught the smug, self-centered look Zane threw her. She instantly pointed to both Carter and her husband.

"You're both going to Hell." Henry shot her a confused look, but turned back to Carter.

"Jo, look, we've got an empty church, and a series of alleged miracles. I don't think it's crazy to ask who stands to benefit."

"_God!"_ Henry cut in, and Jo immediately nodded

"You're way off base this time, Carter." She said, glancing at Henry.

"I hope so, but before Reverend Harper took up theology, she used to be a physicist." The young pair shared a look. "Still think I'm going to Hell?" Jo thought a moment, before nodding.

"Probably."

"I think you're jumping to conclusions." Henry said.

"If Reverend Harper is responsible, we're in for a lot more." Carter insisted.

"Yeah, like a plague of locusts or fiery hail. Or total darkness." Henry said, just as the lights in the building and all aroun town, went out.

* * *

"And that would be?" Jo asked, as they came down the stairs into Diane Lancaster's basement, in time to see the woman turn on the device that had been causing everything.

"A temporal rift." Henry replied.

"Or a portal to Heaven." Diane's normally soft voice was choked with tears, and she rushed towards the device, stepping in front of Carter.

"She wants to cross over." Henry whispered.

"Into what? Eternity?" Jo asked, turning to look at him. He nodded meeting her eyes. Henry, like Jo and Diane, had also lost someone close to him. His wife Kim had been killed in a lab accident a couple years ago; Diane had lost her husband, Daniel, a few months ago, and Jo had lost the girls. They all knew something of loss; they all had suffered the pain of watching a loved one die. What if she was right? What if this was a portal to Heaven? They could all cross over and be with the ones they loved- Jo could see the girls again, be with them- and then Zane's blue gaze flashed before her, and she knew she couldn't leave him.

"There's nothing to talk about. Don't you understand? I have found where everything meets, the place where different points in dimensionsal space-time converge. Where Daniel is waiting for me." Carter turned to Henry and Jo.

"That can't be Heaven."

"Why not?" Henry asked, moving down the steps towards Diane. "If she's really discovered the gateway to the multiverse."

"I have faith it is." She replied as Carter turned to Jo with a soft, 'Not helping.'

"Revelations, Chatper 4, verse 1. After this, 'I looked. And behold, a door was opened in Heaven.' You understand, don't you, Henry? And you, Jo. I know you understand." She said, turning to the deputy. Jo swallowed, moving towards the older woman. Carter was able to talk the older woman down, and once she had taken his hand, he sent her to Jo, who couldn't take her gaze from the machine.

* * *

Later that night, Jo sat at the kitchen table, looking through their flight schedule. Zane set a cup of coffee in front of her, pressing a kiss to her head as he took a seat beside her. "What're you doing?" She glanced up at him.

"Checking over our flight schedule. We have to catch the redeye tomorrow morning, you know that?" He nodded, sipping his coffee.

"Jojo," She looked up when he took her hand. "I love you, you know that, right?" She reached over, taking his hand in hers.

"I know. I just... I _hate_ this anniversary. I hate what it does to us. It destroys us. Or it tries to." She sniffled, and he reached up, brushing her tears away with his thumb.

"Hey, look at me." She met his eyes. "We are not destroyed. This will not get to us. We are stronger than this. Remember that." She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her into his lap.


	13. Chapter 13

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: I couldn't find any recordings of the '07 memorial service, so I drew on '10, '11, and '12. I know it's not accurate, but it's the best I could do. **

_September 11, 2007 _

That Tuesday morning dawned bright and early, reminiscent of the day that had brought them all to Ground Zero, six years prior. It was the day that had changed everyone's lives, that had ripped families apart, that had tested everyone's faith, and had brought people together. It had destroyed a nation, but hadn't brought them to their knees. And it was on this morning that Jo and Zane sat with their parents, and the families of their friends; Jadie's youngest, Nick, now ten, had rushed to Jo when he saw her, and thrown his small arms around her, sobbing. Jo had held him close, rubbing his back and whispering softly to him. The only time she ever saw the boys anymore was at these memorials, or on Thanksgiving.

Everyone stood as the band entered, playing their bagpipes and drums, dressed in their traditional kilts and fur hats; police officers in their dress uniforms, former and current military in their uniforms, including Jo, dressed in her service uniform. The dark blue looked striking against her small body, and her long dark hair was tucked up in a tight bun, beneath the familiar black beret with the blue insignia. The Purple Heart, Silver and Bronze stars she was awarded hung on her chest, a stark reminder of the battles the young woman had seen and survived.

As the American flag was unfolded and the national anthem was sung, Jo pulled Nick close; he wrapped his arms tight around the older woman, the last tangible link to his mother and aunt. The sight of the flag, with holes and pieces missing, being held out before the crowd and cameras, brought fresh tears to her eyes. Silence fell as Bloomberg stepped up to the podium, and looked out at the thousands who had gathered.

Jo glanced at Zane, who wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close and pressing a kiss to her cheek. She rested her head on his chest, tightening her hold on Nick, only vaguely listening as Bloomberg talked. She listened, but barely registered the various senators, former presidents, military generals and even the Govenor of New York that spoke, she only knew that her time would soon come to step up to the podium and read the names of those that died, to say the names of her friends, of the girls who she saw as family, with Mike at her side. Jo pressed a kiss to Nick's head, holding him tight as the speeches went on and on, tears sliding down her cheeks.

* * *

Carter strode into Cafe Diem, only to find it completely silent. Everyone was turned towards the TV Vincent had brought in, eyes glued to the screen. "Um, Vincent, what's going on?" Other patrons shushed him with glares, and after a moment, he sat down at the counter, eyes glued to the screen, watching as the opening ceremony began in New York to commemorate the anniversary of the attacks. He didn't notice as Zoe slid into the seat beside him, so absorbed was he in the unfolding of the flag from the World Trade Center.

"Dad, what's going on?" Zoe asked, glancing at her dad.

"The commemoration ceremony of the Nine-Eleven Anniversary." Vincent whispered, setting two cups of coffee down between the two, never taking his eyes off the screen. A moment passed, before Zoe turned to the her dad.

"Um.. d... didn't Jo and Zane say they were going to be there?" Zoe asked, as everyone turned to look at her. Several people whispered between themselves, surprised to learn that Jo and Zane weren't in town; they hadn't been seen since yesterday, but not many had thought about it, so caught up in their work were they. Carter nodded, turning to his daughter.

"Yeah, they said they were going to be there. I just... can't imagine why." But as he spoke, a bell rang out, and everyone turned back to the screen, watching as a uniformed officer rang the small silver bell situated on stage. Zoe turned to her dad.

"Why is he ringing a bell?" She asked.

"It's nine-oh-three. The time that Flight One-Seventy-Five struck the South Tower, Zoe." Carter whispered. Zoe watched her father; the only other time she'd seen tears in his eyes was when he'd talked about the death of his high school sweetheart, Angela.

"I... I barely..."

"Is that _Jo_?" Everyone turned at Fargo's cry of surprise; the sight of a young woman in military dress, standing at a podium with a man, also in uniform, with another man in military dress standing behind them. At a seperate podium on the other side of the stage, stood two boys, one ten and the other twelve, stood with a soldier behind them, waiting to read. Carter got up, moving closer to the TV, to get a better look.

* * *

She looked up, to see Mike reach for her arm. "Come on, Jo. It's time." She nodded, glancing at Zane, who pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before letting her go. She glanced down at the boys.

"Nick, Jake, come on." The boys latched onto Jo, each taking one of her gloved hands as they made their way to the podium. As the boys took their places at one podium and Jo and Mike took their places at the other, they lapsed into a moment of silence as the bell finished ringing, in remembrance of the victims killed on the two flights. As the boys read the list of names, they clasped hands, giving each other strength.

"And our mother, Jadie Elizabeth Blythe. We love you, Mama, and we know you're watching over us every day, and hope we're making you proud." Nick took a deep breath, squeezing his brother's hand before he spoke,

"And our aunt, Tamsen Marjorie Blythe. Aunt Tammi, you are forever in our hearts, and we know you are protecting us, one of our guardian angels."

As the two boys blew kisses towards Heaven, the uniformed officer behind them gently guided them off the stage, as Jo and Mike began to read their list.

* * *

Everyone in Cafe Diem held their breath as they listened to Jo and Mike Blythe read their list of names. It was a shock to many of them, who'd had no clue that Jo had been there that long ago day, although now their argument during brunch the Sunday before began to make sense. So it seemed that both Zane and Jo had been in New York when the towers fell.

Mike took a deep breath, taking Jo's hand and squeezing. "And I read today in the memory of my brother, Lt. Jason Wilkes, Ladder Fifteen. You fought to your last breath, to save those trapped in the South Tower above the impact zone, and gave your life for your country. You are never forgotten, and always in my thoughts. I love you, little Jaz."

Carter's mouth dropped, and he sank into a nearby chair, and everyone listened in silence as Jo's voice rang out around them, listing the names of her friends.

"And I read in memory of two of my best friends, Gwendolyn Charlotte Rowley." She took a deep breath, struggling to keep from crying, to keep her composure, for Nick and Jake, for herself. She could cry later, when she was laying in bed, in Zane's arms, but she would not cry now. "You were the rock of our group, and I know you're looking down on us now, protecting us from Heaven. And Caitlan Margaret Hertz. You were the clown of our small group, and I know you're making the angels laugh. I think about you every day, and I try to remember to stay strong and laugh, like you both taught me and I hope I'm making you proud. I love you both so much." And then they walked offstage, returning to their friends and family.

Carter glanced at Allison, who had stepped into the quiet cafe, and at the sight of Jo onscreen, promptly sat on the stool next to Zoe, tears springing to her eyes.

* * *

Jake wrapped his arms tight around Jo, burying his face in her chest and sobbing as the Bloomberg stepped up to speak. Gently, Jo ran her fingers through the young boy's hair, pressing a kiss to his head as he tightened his grip on his adoptive aunt. They all listened in silence as _'Amazing Grace'_ began to play, and once it finished, another bell was rung.

At ten-twenty-eight, the bell was again run for the collapsing of the North tower, followed by a moment of silence. Eventually, Jo escorted Jadie's oldest boy, Jake, up to the podium to speak about his mother and adoptive aunts and his uncle lost in the attack. When she gave him a gentle push and stopped, indicating for him to continue to the podium, he turned back. One look at his face, and she couldn't deny him; she wrapped an arm around his shoulders, being his rock as he reached the podium and began to speak. The camera panned over the crowd, signs were held up, with names and photographs of those killed, of people, holding flowers or holding each other and crying.

Jake looked back at Jo, and she nodded, squeezing his shoulder, and then she stepped back into an at ease position; a comforting presence, guarding her godson as he spoke. The twelve-year-old boy spoke with tears in his eyes, a catch in his throat, and every so often, would turn to glance at Jo, who would nod softly for him to keep going.

* * *

Carter looked around, seeing the tears in the eyes of those seated in Cafe Diem. No one spoke, hardly anyone breathed, as they listened to the little boy who had lost his mother, his uncle, his biological and two adoptive aunts on Nine-Eleven. The majority of eyes, though, were fixed on the young woman behind the boy, holding a silent watch over her oldest godson. The little boy, who had been six-years-old on the horrific day he lost his mother and aunts, looked out at everyone with tears in his eyes, and he struggled to take a breath as he began to speak.

"My mother was a hostess at Windows on the World. I remember going up and having lunch with her and my Aunt Tammi when I was younger. My aunt was a captain in the United States Air Force, who was moving to Fort Bragg to recieve her first assignment; this was her last week in New York, and so she, and my adoptive Aunts Gwen, a Lieutenant in the Navy, Cait, a Major in the Marines, and..." He glanced back at Jo, who nodded, giving him a soft smile. "and my Aunt Jo, who was a Sergeant in the Army, spent the week of September Eleventh in New York. They came over to our house and had dinner, telling us about their adventures in military camp and where they were going to go in the week that followed. They stopped by to walk my brother and I to school, and then left to meet my mom for breakfast at Windows on the World, the restaurant where she worked, on the one-hundred-sixth floor of the North tower. Aunt Jo told me that just as she was about to board the elevator to go up to the top floor, she stepped out to answer a phone call from her brother, and minutes later, the plane hit the tower. My aunts and my mom were in the restaurant, trapped, and waiting for help. Only my Aunt Jo was not in the reastaurant. She and my Uncle Zane got out, and survived, and helped to search for survivors before she went over to fight in Iraq."

He glanced back at Jo, who nodded softly to him again, he took a deep breath, continuing. "Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night and go looking for my mom, only to find her gone. I call my mom's voice mail and my aunts' just to hear their voices. Last year, I asked my dad and my Aunt Jo if we could start a foundation for them, to remember them by. My mom always loved helping people, and she dreamed of opening her own restaurant. She wanted to hire underpriviliged youth and school them in baking, cooking and running a restaurant. So last year, my grandparents opened the Sweetheart Cafe- a small coffee shop and restaurant in Greenwich in memory of my mom. We found her recipe books and typed them up, and my grandmother teaches underprivledged youths how to bake and cook and run a restaurant; it gives them a sense of understanding and care and teaches them that love, like food, is universal and world-wide." He sniffled, taking another deep breath. "And my Aunt Tammi always taught me to get all the facts before jumping to conclusions; to never hesitate to 'take to the skies and earn your wings in any way possible, so long as you have faith, trust and love to back you up and catch you when you fall.' So last month, we started the 'Take the Skies, Earn Your Wings' Foundation in memory of my Aunt Tammi..." He choked up, turning and going to Jo, who held her godson close and let him cry.

Minutes passed, as everyone in Cafe Diem watched the young boy take comfort from the former Army Sergeant.

When he seemed strong enough, he turned back to the microphone, holding tight to Jo's hand. "We... we started the 'Take the Skies, Earn Your Wings' Foundation in memory of my Aunt Tammi, who would let us come with her to the Air Force base and watch the planes. She used to tell us that whenever we see a plane flying overhead, it's another person who's earned their wings, and to thank them for their service, no matter what they do. 'Take the Skies, Earn Your Wings' sets up scholarships in my aunt's name for students interested in becoming pilots or joining the Air Force, or interested in anything to do with flying. I know you've earned your wings in more than one way, Aunt Tammi, and Mama, and that you're watching us. I hope we've made you proud, and I try every day to earn my wings, like I was taught, and I hope I'm making you proud. I love you both."

Carter glanced around, seeing the tears, the pain, on people's faces as they watched the ceremony unfold on TV. He turned back as Jo began speaking.

* * *

When he finished, Jake stepped to the side to allow Jo to speak. She squeezed her godson's hand, giving him a soft smile as she took a deep breath.

"I was supposed to be a victim of the terrorist attacks. My name should have been read aloud with the thousands of others today, but it wasn't, all because I stepped out of the elevator to take a phone call from my older brother." She looked around, meeting Zane's eyes. "My three best friends, and the mother of my godsons died on September Eleventh, and ever since that day, I have tried to live up to their example. We went through military school, and were spending one final week in New York together before shipping off to our respective bases and assignments. Breakfast at Windows on the World with Jadie was tradition, ever since we were children. And so, on that day six years ago, we boarded the elevator to take us to the restaurant, and I stepped out to answer my phone. The girls said they would go up and find Jadie and save a seat for me-" She stopped, struggling to keep from crying.

It was as shock, to everyone who knew Jo, everyone in Eureka, to see Jo cry, and as she gathered her breath, she felt Jake's hand squeezing hers.

"But they never got to. Flight eleven hit the North Tower, and security rushed us from the building, as firefighters rushed in. I tried to help, but wasn't able to. I watched the North tower collapse with my best friends inside, and when the call to enlist came in December, I went willingly. I witnessed the fall of Saddam, and unfortunately, became one of the first to be sent home when I became injured in combat. For serving my country, I recieved the Purple Heart, the Silver Star and the Bronze Star, with an honorable discharge. I fought to keep what happened to my friends, and the thousands of others who died on this day from every happening again. I fought so my godsons, Jadie's boys, Nick and Jake could grow up knowing that their mother and aunts didn't die in vain; so that my children, and the children of hundreds of others in the future won't have to live with the memories of this day." She sniffled, taking a deep breath.

"Jadie's husband Mike and I helped start the Sweetheart Cafe, in Jadie's memory, and not long after, we started 'Take the Skies, Earn Your Wings' Foundation in memory of Tamsen. And just a year ago, we started the 'Stay Strong and Laugh' Foundation in memory of Gwendolyn and Caitlan, that teaches children in under-privileged communities, and makes the resources available to them to go towards the careers they dream of, to take life and live it to the fullest, while remembering where your roots come from, where your heritage lies. I hope I make you proud, and I try... every day... to live as they both would have- remembering where I came from, reaching for my dreams, and live to the fullest. I love you, and miss you both every day, so much."

And without another word, she and Jake left the podium. As the names continued to be read, families and friends of the fallen gathered, hugging, talking, consoling each other. In a corner of Ground Zero, Nick lay down a bouquet of flowers, along with his mother's picture. Mike wrapped his sons in a hug, holding them both as they cried. Jo, turned from the small memorial, meeting her husband's eyes. A moment passed, before she wrapped her arms around Zane's neck, capturing his lips in a kiss that was captured on camera- the soldier kissing her husband, midst the makeshift memorials of the sixth Nine-Eleven anniversary.

When the ceremony ended, families and friends of the fallen met and talked.

* * *

Back in Eureka, Carter turned when Zoe laid a hand on his shoulder. Tears streamed down her face, and she whispered,

"You okay, Dad?"

He nodded, taking her hand. "Yeah, just... just... thinking how lucky we are to have Jo and Zane in our lives."


	14. Chapter 14

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: This skips to December_..._**

_December 24, 2007 _

She stretched. She couldn't _quite_ reach-

"Here, let me get that." She turned as Zane took the ornament from her and hung it from the branch she was trying to reach. A glare crossed over her pretty face as he chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Oh, just because I'm taller than you-"

"By only a few inches-" She cut in.

"Doesn't mean you have to get into such a tiff, Jojo." He whispered, as they swayed back and forth to the Christmas music coming from the stereo. She wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up into his eyes.

"Well that doesn't mean that you have to gloat about it either." She replied; he snorted, rolling his eyes.

"I don't-"

"Yes, you do-" But he cut her off, taking her lips in his, in a deep kiss that made her shiver. He held her close, breathing in the scent of her hair for a moment before pulling away.

"Oh would you two give it a rest? If you keep going like this, you'll have a bunch of kids by the first day of the new year." The pair pulled apart, turning to see Jo's sister-in-law, Ricco's wife Amy, carrying her daughter over her shoulder. The little girl squealed in delight as she set her down, sending her towards her grandfather. With both Ricco and Luca having been sent on deployment two weeks before Christmas, having her sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews made it the holiday that much more bearable, especially since Davie's death. She blushed, burying her face in Zane's shirt. Although, she was grateful to see her dad so happy and enjoying his grandchildren, a twinge came to her heart at the sight of Davie's son and daughter, Jason and Nicole, playing with their cousins. Zane pressed a kiss to the top of her head, with a soft whisper,

"One day, our children will be playing with their cousins." She looked up at him, a grin on her cheeks.

"Really? You promise?" He nodded, kissing her quickly.

"Okay, so, you're going to have to walk me through this." Tessa said, from her seat on the sofa. Nicole climbed up with her, giving the older woman a big smile.

"You never open your presents on Christmas Eve?" The child asked, and Tessa shook her head, her short black hair swaying.

"No. Zane and I always open our gifts on Christmas Morning." She said, as Zane chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around Jo from behind. Nicole got down, grabbing a gift from under the tree. Jo and Zane had flown out two days earlier, so far, missing whatever huge experiment-gone-wrong had befallen Eureka this Christmas- whatever it was, it couldn't be half as bad as the Christmas Jo got stuck in Eureka because of the snowstorm, and the animated Hell that had befallen Eureka; she'd made it just in time to spend Christmas Day with Zane and Tessa in Boston. But right now, she didn't care; she was with her family, and so far, it was turning out to be a perfect Christmas, despite her brothers' absences. They'd talked on the phone, but it hadn't been the same. When the child returned to her seat next to Tessa, she handed the present to the older woman, saying,

"We all pick a gift and open it, and then, you open the gifts you get from your Secret Santa." Tessa raised her eyebrows.

"Secret Santa? And who might that be?"

"We've never figured it out," Amy said, pulling her son into her lap. "But somehow, every Christmas, we've always managed to get the perfect gifts." Jo glanced at her sisters-in-law; she caught Amy's gaze, and she winked, a silent promise that she'd keep her secret. And slowly, over the course of the next few minutes, gifts were opened, leading the conversations and excited squeals. By the time they were supposed to open their gifts from their Secret Santa, the children had all fallen asleep and been tucked into bed, leaving only the adults to open their Secret Santa gifts.

Jo watched silent, curled into Zane's embrace, as her brothers and father opened their gifts. The looks on their faces told her everything; that they loved what she'd gotten them, and Luca glanced up at her, giving her a soft smile. Tessa watched her in-laws, before turning to the gift Santa had brought her. She glanced around, before slowly pulling the bow from the package and then working on the wrapping paper. As she lifted the lid, she gasped, surprise in her bright blue eyes.

"What is it, Mom?" Zane asked, craning his neck to see. Slowly, Tessa lifted her gift from the box. She held an antique-esque doll, with black ringlets and blue eyes. The doll was dressed in a dark blue dress, matching bonnet, held a matching purse, and wore white bloomers with black lace up boots. Tears sprang to Tessa's eyes, and she looked up. With tears in her voice, Tessa choked out,

"When I was a little girl, Zane, I used to visit your great-grandmother in San Francisco, and she would always tell me stories about when she was growing up at the turn-of-the-century. When she was a child of ten, she had a doll that her father had bought for her at a store in Southampton, England. He had taken the family to England for holiday, and they were returning on the grandest ocean liner in the world-"

"_Titanic_." Zane whispered; eyes widening in shock. Tessa nodded, turning back to the doll. Everyone else was silent, enraptured by the story.

"She, and her little brother, who was eight, and her parents were in first class." She sniffled. "She carried this doll everywhere with her. When the ship sank..." Gently, Tessa ran her fingers over the dress. "When the ship sank, she refused to leave without going back for her doll, but they put her and her mother and brother on the lifeboat anyway. Just before they lowered the boat, the doll was thrust into her arms. Her father had gone back and gotten it, knowing how important it was to her. She always said the last image she had of her father was him standing on the deck wtih John Jacob Astor and Benjamin Guggenheim, watching the boat being lowered. She never saw her father again, and they never recovered his body." She glanced up at her son, tears in her eyes.

"What happened next?" He whispered.

"Her mother never remarried, and her brother served in the Second War; he was a corporal at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed. Tried to help get the men out of the_ Arizona_-"

"Like my dad's father." Tessa nodded.

"Yes. Your grandfather and great-uncle were both part of the _Arizona_'s crew, they worked with my great-uncle. Turns out our families were tied together- not that they knew it." She chuckled softly. "She married a banker in nineteen-twenty-three, and they lived in Boston for years; had four daughters and two sons. Eventually, they moved to San Francisco. The doll was destroyed in the earthquake of 'eighty-nine." Zane nodded, thinking.

"I... I vaguely remember you telling me that... that she'd died in the earthquake. I... don't remember much."

"You wouldn't, love. You were nine when she died. I was devestated. She had left me the doll in her will, because I loved it so, and... it was gone." She looked up, meeting Jo's eyes. "I never thought I'd get to see this doll again." She covered her mouth to keep from crying, and Zane got up, taking a seat by his mother and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Tessa leaned into her son's embrace, letting her tears take hold.

* * *

It was quiet. Everyone else had gone to bed except Jo. She thought back on the reactions from the others; how they all loved their gifts, and then her mind flashed back to Tessa. Her reaction was the one she hadn't been expecting. She hadn't known the story behind the doll, she just knew that her mother-in-law had searched far and wide to find it, with no success. Jo was glad she'd been able to give Tessa even a small piece of her childhood back. She set her mug in the sink, checking to make sure all the dishes and wrapping paper were placed in their proper places, before turning to the tree.

It glowed in the dark, the white and red lights making it a beacon, something to be cherished. She crossed her arms, wandering towards it, humming _Silent Night_ softly to herself, lost in memories of when her mother would sing the carol to her after tucking her in, telling her to close her eyes tight and sleep if she wanted Santa to come...

"Thanks for the Springsteen tickets,_ Santa_." She turned to see her husband, leaning against the wall, in nothing but a pair of plaid pajama bottoms, watching her. He looked tired yet his eyes were wide-awake, having gone to bed later than the others, only to find his wife still up and downstairs. Confusion filled her dark eyes.

"What are you talkin' about?"

"You know what kind of music I like, Jojo." Zane whispered, pushing himself away from the wall and going towards his wife. "And you grew up listening to Dad's stories about Christmas as a kid. And you've watched Mom scour every antique shop and website she can for that doll." She leaned towards her husband, realization that he was on to her dawning in her eyes as she whispered softly,

"Go away."

"_But_ one thing that just doesn't fit, is that you hate Christmas." Her mouth dropped softly, and as he spoke next, she sighed. "But you don't, do you, Jojo?" He whispered softly. She noticed that he twirled something between his hands, and held it out when he got close enough. "Candy cane?" She swallowed, crossing her arms over her chest and turning back to the tree.

"No thanks, babe."

"When did you stop liking candy canes? I still like them and I just turned twenty-seven." She swallowed, watching as he hung the wrapped treat on the tree before wrapping his arms around her. She didn't speak for several minutes, before finally whispering,

"When I had to grow up."

She turned to meet his gaze. A moment passed, and he reached up, pulling her hair from its tie and tangling his fingers in it. She took a deep breath, laying a hand over his chest, breathing deeply as she decided how much of herself she should divulge to him. He was her husband, he deserved to know everything. They kept no secrets from each other; it was their rule. Eventually, she pulled away, moving past him and going to the sofa, taking a seat and patting the space beside her. "When I was a kid," She whispered, taking his hand. "my favorite thing to do was to give something special to my brothers and... just watch them light up when they opened their gifts. Now, they're in the service and... in harm's way. We haven't spent Christmas together in years."

Gently, Zane reached up, brushing a tear off her cheek. "I'm sorry." She gave him a soft smile.

"Having you makes it more bearable." He chuckled softly, a small smile lighting his face. He leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. They sat on the sofa, in the soft light of the tree, sharing soft, chaste kisses before he stood, taking her hands and helping her to her feet.

"Come on, it's late." As he started guiding her towards the stairs, she stopped, something having caught her eye.

"W... what's that?" He turned to glance behind him, seeing a brightly wrapped package. A moment passed, as he thought a moment and then shrugged.

"I don't know. You'll have to open it to find out." She glanced back at him and went to the table. The package was small, square, not the size of a ring box, more like the size of a box that would hold a necklace. She picked up the package and returned to the sofa, opening it with a slight air of excitement. Slowly, she lifted the lid of the black velvet case, and gasped softly.

Nestled inside, was a simple silver pendant. As she lifted it out, she caught the design on the front- a beautiful openwork image of the Twin towers with a couple small buildings on either side, a single small September sapphire nestled within the middle of the towers, representing the sunlight from a wellknown photograph of the towers before the attack. Slowly, she turned it around, catching sight of the engraving on the back. Tears welled in her eyes, and she took a deep breath.

_My Jojo, _

_my Heart, my Strength, my Survivor. _

_Stronger Together my Love. _

_Love, Zane_

It was a reminder that September was the month that brought them together, and that they would always have each other, to lean on, to draw strength from, to help the other survive. Together, they were stronger than the memories of that tragic day.

She looked up at his soft, "I'll have to tell Santa that you like it." But before he could say anything else, she'd wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed a kiss to his lips.


	15. Chapter 15

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: _Best in Faux..._**

_ February 18, 2008 _

She took a deep breath. Couldn't the test hurry up, already? She turned poked her head out of the bathroom; the hall was quiet, Zane was still sound asleep. Quietly, she shut the bathroom door, turning back to the counter. A moment passed before she sank against the door, pulling her knees to her chest, laying her head against the door. Her stomach churned, for the millionth time in the last few weeks, and she laid a hand against her abdomen, taking deep breaths to keep from throwing the toilet open so it and her head could meet. Her dark gaze flicked towards the counter, and after a moment she got up. A quick check of the timer told her that the test was ready, and slowly, she turned to the test.

She turned to glance in the mirror. She didn't recognize the woman who stared back at her. As she leaned against the counter, she felt her heart jump. This couldn't be happening. Not to them, not now. Things were good for them, they didn't _need_ this...

"Is this what you felt, Mom? Did your heart stop? Were you afraid Dad would leave? What went through your head?" When she looked back up at her reflection, it was to find herself catching brief flashes of her mother- the warm, soft smile and kind, gentle eyes. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the test, and glanced over her shoulder, before going to the door and slipping into the hall to return to the bedroom.

Zane looked up as Jo climbed back into bed beside him. He gave her a lazy, sleepy smile, and wrapped his arm around her waist, his hand sprawling over her stomach, and she swallowed. "Zane? Sweetheart?" He stretched, giving her a soft smile as he nuzzled his nose against hers. "Wake up for me, love."

"What is it, Jojo? Did you have another nightmare?" He asked, voice still filled with sleep. He pulled her close, kissing her softly. She shook her head, sitting up. A moment passed, as she pulled her legs under her and fingered the test she held in her grasp. Zane's eyes flicked to her hands, and he sat up, suddenly worried about her. She looked up, meeting his bright blue eyes, lip sliding between her teeth.

"Um... Zane... I... I know we never..." She stopped, taking a deep breath as she caught sight of the time on the clock. Several seconds passed before Jo climbed out of bed and rushed to get dressed. As she finished braiding her hair, she stopped, staring at herself in the full-length mirror in their room. She barely noticed Zane getting dressed in the other side of the room; subconsciously, she laid a hand on her abdomen, imagining the soft fluttering taking place within. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she took a deep breath.

"Jojo?" Her gaze met Zane's in the mirror, and she turned to him, tears flowing down her cheeks freely. He took her into his arms, brushing her tears away. "Hey, what's the matter? You can tell me." Once again, she bit her lip, before holding out the test she grasped tight within her fist. He took it, glancing down before meeting her eyes. "I... it's... it's positive." He whispered, looking up at her. She nodded, lower lip quivering. "We... we're..."

"Pregnant." She whispered, bursting into tears. Zane gathered her to his chest, pressing a soft kiss to her hair as he struggled to keep the thousand thoughts racing around his head from exploding his brain. Eventually, he pulled away to stare into her eyes.

"Are you sure?" She sniffled.

"The test is positive, and I... I've taken five other tests over the last two days and... they're all positive, but... I want to take another test, and... and talk to Allison, just to be sure." He nodded.

"Okay." She glanced up at him, searching for something in his face that wasn't there- fear. She found only excitment, joy, worry. And hope. As he gathered her back in his arms, he whispered, "Honestly, Jojo, I hope it's right. There's nothing I want more than to have a child with you, and to make a family."

* * *

She looked up, glancing at the pharmacist before wandering over to the aisle that held the pregnancy tests. Zane was waiting outside, answering the phone call Tessa had left him, asking how he and Jo were doing. She glanced towards the window, and then turned back to the row of boxes. After a moment, she grabbed on and went to the counter. When she finished paying for it, she slipped it into her jacket pocket and left the store. "Did you get it?" Zane asked, as she joined him; he took her hand, lacing their fingers as they headed towards Cafe Diem. She nodded.

"Yeah. I... I don't... I don't know what we're going to do if it's positive, or if Allison tells us it's positive. We... We aren't ready for a..." She stopped, tears coming to her eyes. After a moment, she blinked the tears away, and squared her shoulders.

"Hey, look at me. We'll get through this. Together." He touched her pendant. "Remember that." She nodded, and his kissed her quickly, letting her rush off to work before heading to GD. When Jo slipped into the sheriff's office, she found herself alone, and quickly headed to the bathroom, locking herself in. Her hands shaking, she pulled the test from the box and quickly went through the instructions, before slipping back into the office to wait.

"Morning, Jo." Her head snapped up, and she swallowed, giving Carter a big smile. "You okay? You look nervous." She opened her mouth and then closed it before,

"I'm fine. I just... haven't been feeling well. I... I think I've got a stomach bug." He nodded.

"You want to head home? I'm sure I can handle one day without you." She shook her head.

"No. I'll be okay. I'll ask Allison to run some tests and give me something. I should be fine in a few days." He nodded, studying her.

"Okay, well, I'm going to go get coffee, you want to come?"

"Not right now. I'll be there soon." He nodded, and with a quick smile and wave, he left. Jo climbed to her feet, rushing to the door, making sure she was alone. Coast clear, she fled back to the bathroom, grabbing the test. Her heart stopped, and after she returned the test to the box and buried it in the bottom of the trash, she left the office, head high. One of the biomimetic dogs came up to her, and she quickly patted it on the head before going into Cafe Diem. The Dog Show was tonight- the reason for all the biomimetic dogs in Cafe Diem. She'd completely forgotten.

"Hey Jo, what's with all the dogs in here?"

"They're biomimetic."

"I don't care what breed they are, it's unsanitary." He said as Jo rolled her eyes and they took seats at the counter.

"It means artificial, Carter. They're robots." She replied as Vincent set her cup in front of her. For a brief moment, she thought of the test, and almost pushed the drink aside, but decided against it, and took a sip. She'd talk to Allison later.

"Oh _that_ biomimetic. So what, the D.O.D has some program to create heavily armed robot dog soldiers?"

"No, but that would be so cool." Carter gave her his usual, Are-you-kidding-me? look, and she rolled his eyes, amending. "No, this isn't a G.D. thing. People build them for fun," She reached down, petting the head of the nearest biomimetic Australian Shepard as it and its owner passed. "and they get really competitive about it, too." Allison and Stark entered, arm in arm, talking about their wedding plans, and her heart jumped, remembering what she had to ask of Allison.

"How are things with you and Zane, Jo?" She turned, to see Callie Curie waiting for her lunch.

"Good. I'll be by to pick um my dry cleaning later." The older woman gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before leaving with a goodbye as Allison exclaimed about a dress.

"Ah... I'll go shopping with you." She was surprised to watch Allison's mouth drop in shock, as well as the looks Carter and Stark gave her. What? Just because she was a former military tomboy, that meant she couldn't like weddings or parties? Her own wedding had been very small and simple.

"It's a wedding gown, not a flak jacket." Stark replied. In her already agitated and stressed state, she wasn't in the mood for Stark's attitude.

"I happen to _like_ weddings. You got a problem with that?" She snapped, rising and pressing her palms into the counter. What the hell did Allison see in a guy like Stark? Besides the ruggedly handsome, successful, rich thing... Just as Stark opened to respond, her phone rang and she gratefully took the call. Something about a break-in. "Possible break-in on Feynman Road. I can take it if you want-" But Carter saw that as his chance to get out of there, and jumped on it, dragging Jo out of the cafe as he muttered softly to himself about Allison. Beside him, Jo rolled her eyes, but stopped as Ms. Taylor came over with her terrier Fifi, who instantly walked over to Carter and lifted her biomimetic leg. Carter of course, freaked out.

"Relax, Carter. Robot dogs don't ruin your pants." He glanced at her, and she plastered a small smile on her face. "Oh, Fifi here is our reigning champion."

"Two years in a row, best in show. We're going for the triple crown this week. Aren't we, baby?" Ms. Taylor asked, kneeling down to talk baby talk with her dog. Jo squirmed silently and crossed her arms over her chest. That simple word brought her problem back to the forefront of her mind.

"Looks like the bitch is back." Jo and Carter both turned to see Dr. Young walk up with her yellow laborador, Thunder. "Control your Tinkertoy." Dr. Young snapped as Fifi started barking at Thunder. Jo began to wonder if they'd need to seperate the two women.

"You stay away from her!" Taylor replied. But soon, sparks began flying everywhere as Fifi misprogrammed and subsequently, as Carter put it, died.

* * *

"I still can't believe you talked me into this, Jo." The young deputy looked up from examining dresses as Allison perched on the edge of her desk. Jo sighed.

"It's a wedding, Allison. You're a bride. It's your big day-"

"My second time." Allison cut in, tone clipped. Jo dropped the material of the dress she was looking at and took a deep breath. She laid a hand on her stomach, feeling it twist and churn, and she fought to keep from bolting for the bathroom. "You okay, Jo? You look sick." She turned to meet Allison's eyes, giving her a small smile. How did she ask Allison this? How exactly did she ask Allison if she would be willing to run a test to determine whether she was pregnant or not?

"Yeah, I... I'm fine..." Allison raised an eyebrow. She swallowed, realizing she'd been caught. She checked quickly to make sure Flora, the owner of the boutique, was still out at the car, pulling out more dresses before she went to Allison. "Actually, I... I have something to ask you."

"Go on, Jo. You can tell me." She bit her lip.

"I... I want you to do a test."

"What kind of test? Are you okay?" Jo nodded, but stopped.

"Um... actually, I... I think I'm pregnant." Allison's eyes widened, and she took the deputy's hand.

"Oh, Jo. Does Zane-"

"He knows. And I... I took seven tests over the last two days, all of them turning out positive. Please, Allison. Will you run the test for me?" Allison nodded, squeezing her hand. A chuckle escaped her throat, as she said next,

"Jo, honey, if one turns out positive, then by the seventh test, it's usually positive. But yes, I will do the test for you. After all this with Carter and Dr. Hood is over, okay?" She nodded, as Flora came in with the last few dresses.

"Okay, let's try on some dresses." Allison and Jo looked through all of them before Jo handed her a dress with a ruched sweetheart bodice and a pick-up skirt.

"No. No!" But one raised eyebrow, and Allison found herself caving, locking herself in the bathroom and changing into the concoction Jo had chosen for her. As she stopped to examine herself in the mirror, her thoughts ran to Jo. The young deputy seemed terrified, nervous about her possible-impending pregnancy. Had Zane reacted the same way? Or was he excited, hopeful that they would become parents? The couple were such polar opposites, yet they seemed to work well together. A knock brought her out of her thoughts.

"Everything okay in there, Allison?" After several minutes, Allison pulled the door open, scowling at her as she came out. Once in front of the mirror, she turned to Jo.

"I can't _believe_ you convinced me to try this on. No one wears a big white dress their second time around."

"But tell me you don't love it."

"It's fabulous, for an Amazon."

"You can't tell anything without a fitting-" Flora said, hitting a couple buttons and shrinking the dress to fit Allison's curves.

"I don't have time for a fitting. I have a job and it's not planning a wed-" She stopped as the office shook, and when Flora tried unshrinking the fitting, Allison stormed out, muttering to herself.

* * *

She slammed the car door, and made her way to GD, nerves bundling and her stomach twisting as each step brought her closer and closer to the infirmary. She looked around, searching for any sign of Zane; she'd called and asked him to meet her at the infirmary, so when Allison ran the tests, they could both be there for the results. As she pulled her phone out to call him again, she felt a hand slip around her waist and pull her close. "Shall we go see if we're going to be chasing a little you around soon?" She turned, feeling Zane's warm breath on her ear.

"I thought you weren't going to come." He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her temple before pulling away and taking her hand. Allison met them in the door to the infirmary, a small smile on her face at the sight of the pair holding hands.

"I've got a bed ready for you. Come on." They followed her to the far end of the infirmary, and after drawing blood and starting the test, Allison had her lay back. Jo lay back after unbuttoning her shirt and lifting up her tank. Allison's gentle fingers moved slowly over her abdomen before she excused herself to get the results from Jo's test. When she came back, she was smiling, and held out a slip of paper wit the test results on it to Jo. "Congratulations, you're going to be parents." Jo felt her breath catch, and she glanced at Zane. He stared at the results in shock; Jo could see the wheels turning in his head as he processed the simple strand of information Allison had given them.

"Now, let's see how far along you are, okay, Jo?" She nodded, glancing at Zane as Allison grabbed the ultrasound transducer and turned on the screen. She moved it around on Jo's abdomen for several minutes, before turning to the pair. "You are almost eight weeks. Seven to be exact, so, most likely, you concieved in early January. Most likely around the eighth or so, for you to be this far along."

"So I'm-" Jo started.

"You're two months, midway through your first trimester." Allison clarified, turning the screen towards Jo and Zane. She moved the transducer around gently on Jo's abdomen, pointing to the image. "Your baby is right there." She said, moving to allow them to see. Jo felt her breath catch.

"So... so that's why Jo hasn't been feeling like herself the last month or so." Zane whispered, eyes locked on the screen; Allison nodded. "And you thought it was the flu." He chuckled softly. "I can't believe we missed it."

"She's experiencing the usual symptoms of pregnancy." The good doctor said. "It's not uncommon for first-time moms to be unaware of thier symptoms. It's also quite common for you to be rather tiny with your first pregnancy. Don't expect to be very big at twenty weeks or even at thirty. It's common when you have your first child." Jo nodded, struggling to catch her breath. When Allison let her sit up, she asked,

"Um... I... I know this is... going to sound like a... a stupid question, but... I've... we've..." She amended, glancing at Zane. "Never been through this before. This is our first. So what... exactly is going to happen to me? I... I mean besides the whole bringing new life into the world and becoming a mother. I... I guess... I want the... the science of it." Allison nodded, as Zane perched next to Jo, wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her close. Allison pulled a chair close to the bed and took a seat, watching the young couple quietly for a moment. Zane glanced at Jo, before turning to the good doctor.

"Allison, please. We aren't children." She nodded.

"I know." Taking a deep breath, she glanced down, taking Jo's hand in hers. "Jo, before you got pregnant, your uterus weighs about two ounces, and lies in your pelvis. By the time the baby is born, your uterus will be above your navel, and weigh about two pounds. It's going to take a few weeks after birth for your uterus to shrink back into the pelvis. But, we will jump that hurdle when we get to it, okay?" Jo nodded, blushing. She'd never gotten 'The Talk' from her mother, and her father hadn't had time, no matter the time he tried to set aside for her; her brothers had refused- the only one willing to agree to talk about it being Luca, seeing as he was the medic in the family, but she had been too embarrassed to ask- so Jo had been left to her own devices and read books on the subject, but after a while, books fall far short of experimentation.

"Go on." Jo whispered. She was still embarrassed, but it lessened with the knowledge that over the next seven months, her body would be going through what Allison was explaining. They listened as Allison told them what to expect and how to prepare. When she finished, she told gave Jo a list of things she could and couldn't do, and could and couldn't eat and drink, and told her she'd see her in the morning. As they left, Zane grabbed her hand, pulling her into his side, saying,

"Can you believe it? Carter had to deal with fake dogs, Eureka nearly became a victim of a massive volcano, and we-" He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, looking down at her with a grin that could light up the whole East Coast. "- are pregnant." She grinned back, reaching up and capturing his lips in hers quickly. As they made it out to the car, she stopped, turning to him.

"You're happy about this?"

"Why wouldn't I be happy, Jojo?" She bit her lip.

"She... It... this... is unplanned." He shrugged.

"So?"

"So?" Jo raised her eyebrows, eyes wide. "How can you say that? Our lives are going to change in the biggest way possible- since the attack!" She cried, and Zane went to her, taking her shoulders.

"Jojo, calm down. Haven't you ever heard, that sometimes the best things in life go unplanned?" She nodded. "This... is one of the best things in our life. Jojo, we will get through this. Together. Just like we've gotten through everything else. Okay?" She nodded, and he kissed the top of her head.


	16. Chapter 16

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: Yes, I know, I've skipped from _Best In Faux_ to _Here Come the Suns_, but this is Jo and Zane's story, plus, I'm trying to keep it under thirty chapters, remember that. **

_ April 10, 2008 _

She sighed, reaching down to gently stroke the growing swell of her abdomen. "Hey Jo." She looked up, giving Carter a big smile as he took a seat beside her at the table in the back corner of Cafe Diem. "What are you smiling about? Everything okay? Baby okay?" She nodded. She and Zane had told their friends a week after Allison and Nathan got married (the fact that she went through with it still fried Carter to no end), giving everyone a reason to celebrate. Carter had at first, threatened to kill Zane, but once he calmed down, he saw that the young man wasn't some deadbeat dad like Carter thought he would turn out to be. Zane had appropriately remarked that just because his father walked out on him when he was a kid, didn't mean he was going to do the same to his children.

She looked up at him, sitting back in her chair and sighing. "You sure you're okay, Jo?"

"Yeah, I... I'm good." She bit her lip, tracing patterns gently over her clothing covered belly. "And she... she's doing great."

Carter nodded, preoccupied. "That's-" He stopped, Jo's words ringing in his head. "Wait a minute, 'she'? Did you just say-" She nodded, grin splitting her face as Carter's bright blue eyes sparked with excitement. Jo found herself wondering why all the men in her life were blue-eyed. "You're having a girl? Does Zane know?" She laughed, causing several other patrons to turn and look at her. By now, the sight of their deputy, well into the start of the second trimester of her pregnancy, was a common sight, and many left her alone.

"Yes, Zane knows. He was there when we found out last week."

"So you... you've been keeping this a secret from us for the last week!" He cried; she laughed harder.

"I'm only fourteen weeks along, Carter!"

"Fourteen weeks!" He glared at her mockingly. "Well then you have to talk. You've kept mum long enough." She shook her head, chuckling.

"Well, Allison said that she is fifteen centimeters. She's good; she's strong and healthy, which is what Zane and I care about most." She glanced down at the photographs she'd been looking at; four little girls in Halloween costumes, one a fairy, one a princess, one an angel, and the last a ballerina. Her eyes began to mist with tears, and she sniffled.

"You okay, Jo?" She glanced up, tears in her eyes.

"Yeah. I... I just... I keep thinking about them." She gestured to the photographs.

"Those the girls you lost in the Nine-Eleven attacks?" He asked softly. She looked up at him, surprise on her face. "We all watched the ceremony last year. We heard you read their names and listened to you speak. I'm sorry Jo, I'm so sorry." She nodded, reaching up to brush tears off her cheeks.

"Yeah. I..." She shook her head, giving him a shaky smile. "Ah, co... could you, flag Vincent down? I'm craving peppermint ice cream with olives and blu cheese and pickles." Carter raised his eyebrows.

"Peppermint ice cream, olives, blu cheese and pickles?" She nodded. He shook his head, muttering softly as he got up to fulfill her request. Her gaze moved to the door, and she waved to Zane, who made a beeline for his wife.

"Hey babe. You okay?" He asked, stealing a quick kiss as he took a seat beside her. She nodded, stealing another kiss before Zane glanced around the cafe. "It looks like Independence Day exploded in here." She laughed, laying a hand on her abdomen. "And how are you, bug?" He directed this question to his wife's belly as he lay a hand next to hers.

"She's doing good." He grinned, kissing her quickly. "Ah, thank you so much, Carter!" Jo cried, as he joined her, carrying a maple bar and a cup of coffee for himself, a cup for Zane, and Jo'd odd concoction. Zane grimaced, pulling away from his wife.

"How can you eat that?" He asked. She returned the spoon to her bowl before replying.

"Considering some of the stuff _you_ eat? If anyone's asking, it should be me and every other normal person in the world." Jo replied. Zane rolled his eyes.

"Hey, it's not my fault you can't stand the taste of toasted peanut butter and bacon-"

"Who came up with that concoction anyway?" Jo asked; this time it was her turn to wrinkle her nose. Zane shook his head. Carter watched the young couple bicker for several minutes; he was only barely listening to the candidate speeches; Jo and Zane weren't paying attention at all. Since the discovery of the bomb shelter beneath Eureka, Carter and Jo had been looking for everything and anything that could lead to answers. "So who are you voting for?" Jo asked Carter, taking another bite of her ice cream. He grimaced; he hated politics.

"Haven't decided yet." Jo and Zane shared a glance.

"... usher in a new day for Eureka!" They hadn't been listening to the speeches, but were just as surprised as everyone else when a loud rumbling erupted, and all three were the first outside, to find themselves in the light of a second sun. Carter turned to Jo, who shielded her eyes and tucked her head into Zane's shoulder.

"It's a new day all right."

* * *

"We have two suns and no suspects." Carter muttered as they moved down the steps into Zane's lab. Her husband was at his work station, going over some sort of information on the second sun. Silent, Jo went to Zane's side, laying a comforting hand on his back as the air conditioning stopped with a whir.

"And now apparently no air conditioning." He looked back at her. "You get anything off Herrara?

"Other than that creepy politician vibe? No. What'd you find?" He swivled on his stool, leaning back and propping his elbows on the tabletop.

"I ran some scans. The sun had all the properties of a main sequence dwarf star. The big question is its energy source."

"I might be able to shed some light on that. I ordered copies of all records having to do with the bunker under Tesla, now, Eva's either had them redactd or they don't exist." Allison said, joining them. She pulled something up on the screen next to Zane. "But she forgot one thing. Accounting."

"Oh, somebody messed up their lunch recipe." Carter muttered.

"The DOD keeps track of every penny that they spend, so I decided to see where they were spending in nineteen-thirty-nine. Check out the stuff they were ordering." SHe pulled up a copy of a shopping reciept.

"Deuterium. Tritium. These are heavy hydrogen atoms." Zane replied, skimming the list.

"And the essential elements in making fussion bombs." Allison added.

"So Thorne dug up an old bomb testing facility?" Jo clarified.

"It's midnight, and a hundred and ten in the shade." Carter turned to the GD head.

"We have to get into that building before Thorne does her thermal cleaning." Jo glanced at Zane. "I'll meet you both at the bunker." Carter said, rushing from the lab. As Allison left, Jo turned to Zane, taking his face in her hands.

"You can't possibly think of going down there?" She asked, fear in her eyes. He took her hands, kissing both palms gently.

"I'll be fine, Jo. Just stay calm, and keep working, and think of that beautiful baby that we created growing inside you. Okay?" She nodded, stealing a kiss before leaving his lab. As she headed down the steps to leave the building, she heard Zane rush after her, calling her name. "Jo!' She turned back, waiting. He pulled her close, kissing her quickly. "I'll be back above ground with Allison and Carter in the blink of an eye, I promise."

* * *

Jo moved down the steps into Zane's lab, listening to their conversation in silence. When she'd heard that Carter and Zane were going to stop the sun, her heart had plummeted into the ground. Just the thought of losing Zane-

"Having fun yet?" Zane couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips. Carter turned to him.

"Yeah, if driving headlong into a fiery death is your idea of a good time."

"Sometimes I think it's his." Both men turned to her. "Carter, could my husband and I have a minute?" Carter glanced at the rocket and then looked at Zane and Jo, who gave him a tight-lipped smile.

"You're supposed to be miles away at an Evac camp by now, Jo." Zane told her, checking one last thing on the computer. She met his eyes as he turned to her, and after a moment, she slipped into his arms, reaching up to cradle his face in her hands. Silence fell between them before she captured his lips in a deep, passionate kiss. She nudged her nose against his when the kiss broke, whispering,

"Come back to me. You don't leave me, you hear? You come back to me and..." She reached down, laying her hands on her belly. "and our little bug. We need you."

"I'm not going off to war or jumping from one hundred ten stories up, Josefina, I'll be fine. Don't worry." She sniffled, tears in her eyes. With a shake of her head, she choked out,

"Don't make jokes like that, Zane. Not after what we went through, not after what we lost." He reached down, laying a hand over his wife's belly. "Just... just come back to us, Zane, _please_." Before he could say anything else, she brought his lips back to hers, drinking him in, pressing herself into his arms. A light, brief fluttering moved within her stomach, and she pulled away, crying out.

"Jojo-"

"I felt her." She whispered, looking down at her small belly. "I felt her start to move." She choked out a soft laugh. "Allison said that it's not uncommon for first-time moms to feel movement this early." She looked into his blue eyes. "I think she wants me to make sure you come back to us, to her." He kissed his wife again, drinking in her taste before he pulled away and knelt down.

"I'll come back, bug. I promise. I could never leave you or your mother. I love you both too much." He whispered against his wife's belly, before pressing a kiss to her tank.

* * *

"Glad to see you're okay." He finished tucking the banadge in, and gave her a small smile.

"Me, too."

"Look, Zane about earlier..." He shrugged.

"It's cool, Jojo. It was a crisis. Just like we've always survived." She took a deep breath.

"Mentioning them... even jokingly... and what they faced..."

"Jo, it was a crisis-" She shook her head.

"No. No, Zane. What we went through seven years ago was a crisis. This... this was Eureka being Eureka. Don't even compare the two..." He reached for her, but she rushed from the cafe, tears in her eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N:_ From Fear to Eternity-_**

_ May 21, 2008 _

The cup was warm against her hands, and after a moment, she sipped her tea, relishing the warm liquid as it slid down her throat. The cool May sky was overcast to fit her mood, and she glanced down at her hand, watching as the weak light streaming from the window bounced off her finger and struck Vincent's Wall of Fame, sending shapes over the wood. She heard Lexi's voice, and glanced over her shoulder to see the third Carter currently living at the SARAH take a seat on the other side of the counter. Lexi, like Jo, was midway through her pregnancy, happy to be living her life without the father of her child in the picture. If only Jo could feel the same sense of peace, however the father of her child was very much married to her; after their little tiff at Cafe Diem, that just got bigger when they got home, they still weren't speaking. She looked up as Vincent went to fill Lexi's order.

Midway through her second trimester, and Jo found herself the second pregnant woman in Eureka, and was happy to have someone else being doted on by the town besides her. Zoe had kept a close eye on her, watching over Vincent's shoulder to make sure Jo was eating right, to the point that it was driving Jo nuts. She reached up, fingers curling around her pendant, tapping her nails against it in nervousness. Swallowing, she adjusted her tank, buttoning the last one on her tan blouse. Allison had asked the girls at the boutique to fix a new uniform for her to fit her growing belly- though she wasn't very big at twenty weeks, something Allison had told her to expect with her first pregnancy- and it was nice to have maternity clothing she could still wear for work.

"Why do dads _ruin_ everything?" She jumped, losing her balance and slamming her hands on the countertop to keep from falling from her stool at Zoe's voice in her ear. The baby kicked hard against her ribs, and she quickly sucked in a sharp breath, a grimace on her pretty face. "You okay, Jo?" Zoe asked, dropping her rag on the counter. She nodded.

"Yeah. She... she's just kicking me." She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before laying a hand on her belly. "Didn't like it when I slammed my hands on the table to catch myself, did you, Bug?" She asked, slowly running her fingers over her stomach. Zoe watched the older woman, a small smile on her face. The baby kicked in response, gentler this time. Jo swallowed, looking up at Zoe, thinking of her husband. "Because they're men and _men are ruiners_." Zoe chuckled, and then stopped, furrowing her brow.

"Um..._ Zane drama_?" Jo sipped her tea, and then inhaling deeply, she said,

"No. Fear." Brown eyes met confused hazel. "We had a... a big fight when we got home after the elections. He... he said he was afraid I was... I was putting the girls before us or Bug..." She stroked her belly again, whistfully. "Said he was afraid he could lose us and..." She met Zoe's eyes again. "Never date a coward, and that... goes for you too, Bug, when you're old enough." She directed the last phrase at her belly, and the baby kicked in response. "We haven't talked since."

"W... well, here's your chance." Zoe replied, nodding towards the door as Zane walked into the cafe, making a beeline for Jo, who didn't turn. Instead, she took a sip of her tea, and ignored him. Zoe busied herself within eavesdropping distance, keeping a close eye on Jo. Zane took a seat beside her, knocking his knuckles on the counter.

"Hey, babe." She ignored him, preferring to stare instead at her nails. "You uh... eat yet? It's not good for you to skip eating, Jojo. You need the nutrients just as much as our little bug does." He sighed, licking his lips before trying another tactic. "I thought maybe we could, you know, we could have a bite?" Jo scoffed.

"A_ bite_? What, we wouldn't want you to commit to a whole meal." He narrowed his eyes at her, letting her words sink in.

"You got something to say, Jojo?"

"I already did." She replied, turning to him. "And you couldn't handle it." And without a look back, she got up, leaving the cafe. Zane sighed. He glanced at Zoe, who set his coffee in front of him.

"I think you touched a nerve, _Ruiner_." She said, gathering the other cups and glasses on the counter.

"No offense, but I think you need to stay out of other people's business, Zoe. Jo and I have been married for nearly four years; you've been in a relationship for _one_. Stick to your own relationship, and Jo and I will stick to ours. Okay?" And without another word, he got up, leaving the cafe.

* * *

"Hey Jo." The deputy looked up to see Carter come towards her, something on his mind. "Can you go interrogate someone for me? I... I mean... if you're feeling up to it." He amended, glancing down at the small swell of her belly. She rolled her eyes, pushing her chair away from her desk and getting up.

"Carter, I'm fine. Okay? I feel great." He gave her an odd look, and she sighed. "Carter, I'm fine, I promise. Allison said that this burst of energy is normal in the second trimester. Now, who do you need me to interrogate?" The prospect of questioning someone would take her mind of the fight she'd had with her husband. Carter's mouth dropped, but he finally gave up the name. "Dr. Hendricks? The... outside contractor Thorne brought in?" He nodded. "Okay. I'm on it." And without another word, she left, leaving Carter standing with his mouth open.

Once Jo was out of the office and in her car, she let herself relax and enjoy the day. As she pulled up to Hendrix's trailer, she found herself humming along to _Drops of Jupiter_ on the radio. Though her husband's favorite band was the avante-garde_ The Talking Heads_- and while Jo liked them too- her absolute favorite band had to be _Train_. She stopped, hands going to her belly as she stopped her soft singing. "You like that, Bug? Huh?" When the baby settled down again, she continued on, rushing up the steps to the door of the trailer. "Dr. Hendricks?" She waited after knocking, rocking back on her heels. "Dr. Hendricks, it's the police. I need to talk to you!" After several minutes, she sighed, turning from the door. "Thanks, Carter. That was pointless." She headed down the steps, going around to the back.

"I finally found you." She stopped, turning at a familiar voice. Zane stood several feet away from her, hands in the pockets of his hoodie, watching her with an exasperated look on his face.

"Ah... how'd you get here?" He rolled his eyes, sighing as he glanced over his shoulder; they were alone.

"I rode my bike." Jo felt a small shiver; she loved Zane's bike. Since finding out about her pregnancy, Allison had forbidden the young woman from riding it, even with Zane. Her mind briefly flash back to when they'd lived in New York; it had been easier having the bike than a car, less space was needed for parking. The bike was associated with happy memories for her, and not being allowed to ride it was making her more tempermental than she already was. "And just so you know, this whole passive-agressive thing is really annoying." She crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head to the side as she gave it some thought.

"Huh. You want to try_ just_ agressive?" He licked his lips, catching her eye.

"Um... no." She nodded, a hand absentmindedly going to caress her belly. Zane's eyes flicked to his wife's stomach, and after a moment, he met her gaze, before he rolled his eyes, turning to go. If she could play hardball, so could he.

"Didn't think so. See ya." She called, turning and heading around the side of the trailer, before stopping. Something was laying by her feet in the grass, and slowly she knelt down to get it- when she lost her balance and ended up on her rear. She reached over, grabbing the canister to study it. "Hey! Zane! Could you come here for a second?"

He stopped, turning to find her sitting on the ground. "Wh-" But his first question died on his lips when his gaze flicked to the canister. "Why? So you can hit me with that? Pummel the father of your child?" She held up her hands, shrugging her shoulders. He couldn't help thinking that she looked a bit like a child sitting in the sandbox, legs out in front of her, her small belly showing, but just barely from his vantage point.

"Not until you tell me what it is, first! _Please_?" He sighed; her soft whine tugged at his heart, and he went to her. Kneeling beside her, he studied the device she grasped. He sniffed.

"Anodized aluminum with a trapped valve." She raised her eyebrows and turned to look at him, only understanding a couple of words at best.

"Okay. Which means?"

"It's a pressurized container of some kind. It's got a remote trigger. You wouldn't want to be anywhere near this thing when it went off. You could pack a hell of a lot of something into a device like this." Jo nodded, setting the canister back on the ground between her feet. She moved to get up as Zane stood, only to have trouble standing.

"Zane. A little help up?" He turned back, grabbing her hands and helping her to her feet.

"You aren't that big, you should be able to get up on your own." He chuckled, dusting her off once she was standing. She glared at him, snickering.

"Very funny. You try getting up with a minature human being growing inside of you." Zane rolled his eyes as he turned to go. "And that's getting bigger every day." He threw a glance over his shoulder at her, but she stopped, grabbing his hand as she caught sight of something ahead of her. "Um... how much could you pack into about a thousand of them?" Zane followed her, never letting go of her hand. He opened his mouth, surprised at the amount of empty holders there were.

"Um..." After several minutes, Zane tugged her away. He knelt down and grabbed the canister, laying it in her hands. "Meet me in my lab. And... bring that."

* * *

She leaned against the counter, flipping through the files she'd asked Allison to get on Hendrix and the bunker. Zane typed away at his computer, glancing over his shoulder every once in a while, his eyes going first to her and then to her belly. Neither looked up as Carter picked up the canister, studying it.

"So I analyzed the leakage around the nozzle. It's some kind of cement." Zane drawled, looking through whatever was on his computer.

"Can you find out what Hendricks' was doing with about a thousand of them?" Carter asked.

"No idea. Why don't you ask him? And while you're at it, find out why it has a remote trigger- there's also a manual release." He said, turning in time to see the canister Carter dropped hit the ground, sending cement towards he and Jo. He moved to step out of the way, only to get his right foot caught as the cement hardened around Jo's left and his right. She dropped the files on the counter, glancing down as she tried to tug her foot free.

"I'm stuck." She growled.

"We're stuck. _Together_." Zane amended, as the two worked in feeble attempts to free their feet. The couple turned to look at Carter over their shoulders, glares on both their faces.

"I... I'm gonna go-" Carter gestured behind him, and then rushed off. Zane turned back to his wife, rolling his eyes. She narrowed her eyes, and without a word, turned back to the files she'd been looking through.

"John!" One of the techs looked up from his computer, and when Zane beckoned him over, he went, waiting for the other man to speak. "Would you go get something that would help us get out of this?" John nodded, before heading up the steps and out of the lab. Jo glanced at her husband, raising an eyebrow.

"What did you send him to get?" He met her gaze.

"We're going to get out of this. Just because Carter's an idiot-" A throat clearing caused him to turn; John stood, holding a-

"A _jackhammer_?" Jo cried, mouth dropping. "_No! Hell no_!" She shook her head as Zane took the jackhammer, turning to his wife.

"I'm going to get us out of this if it kills me." He replied, before kneeling down and starting the machine. Jo jumped, covering her ears and wrinkling her nose. One hand quickly moved to her stomach as the baby kicked and moved in annoyance to the sound of her father jackhammering the cement binding her parents together. Jo let out a yelp of pain as her kidneys were kicked and her ribs were bruised, and she turned towards the source of the sound.

"Zane! Zane, _stop!_ The baby... the baby _doesn't _like it!" Getting no response but the screech of the jackhammer, Jo propped her chin on her hand and waited, her other hand stroking her stomach in an attempt to calm the baby down.

_"Sonofa-"_ Her dark gaze shifted to see Zane stand, a now-bent jackhammer in his hands. "_Don't_ you look at me in that tone of voice." He said, handing the machine to John, who left to search for something else. "This isn't _my_ fault." The_ 'It's Carter's_' was heavily implied.

"It may not be your fault, but did you _really_ need to use the jackhammer?"

"What, did it upset you?" He snarked. She sneered.

"No, but the noise upset Bug, and _I_ got the damage." Zane rolled his eyes. "Do you know what it's _like_, Zane, to have someone kick your kidneys_ and_ your ribs from the _inside_? It hurts more than being kicked from the_ outside_. She didn't like it, and neither did I."

"Well, it's not my fault you got kicked." She scoffed.

"Not your fault? Zane! _You_ are the reason I've got a small human being growing inside me in the first place! If it wasn't for you, Bug wouldn't even be here right now!" She snapped, hands going protectively to her stomach as the baby began to kick in response to her parents' raised voices.

"You're forgetting, impregnation involves _two_, Jojo, _not one_!_ You_ are _just_ as responsible for Bug's existence as I am! That is our child moving inside you-"

"Yeah, inside _me_, Zane. I am doing you a _huge service_ here, Zane Matthew, by carrying this baby. Me. I am the one who's growing and changing and is going to give birth in four months! Not you, me. I have _twenty weeks_ left to go before our baby comes into the world! And I'm terrified! I-" The ringing of Zane's phone interrupted their arguement, and Jo snatched it up before Zane could even think to reach for it. Great. _Carter_, the moron that put them into this mess in the first place. Clearing her throat, she answered the call. "Dr. _Bonehead's_ lab."

Zane rolled his eyes.

"Let me guess, you two are still stuck together?" He asked. Jo met her husband's eyes, sticking out her tongue and tugging on an imaginary rope, in a simulation that she was dieing to strangle Carter.

"Just until I can reach my gun-" Zane grabbed the phone from her, turning to lean on the counter.

"What'd you find out?" He demanded as Jo lay a hand on the counter, the other on her hip, one eyebrow raised.

"It's called Instantanium. Some kind of... hardening foam. Nano... elastic foam."

"Nano palymer santanic foam?" Zane asked, surprise in his voice as Jo tried to move closer. "Wow."

"What 'wow'?" She demanded.

"The nanoparticles are bound together at a molecular level." He explained. "If we can find some sort of solvent to... to weaken that bond-"

"Well you do have a gift for making weak bonds." She growled. Zane glanced at her, sneering before he turned to find John waiting for him, holding a saw.

"Just... take her leg." John rolled his eyes and left, passing through the doors just as Jo's screech rang out through the lab and she hit Zane with her file folder.

* * *

An hour later, Jo pushed the folders away. "God, what if I have to go to the_ bathroom_?" Zane snorted.

"Why do yu think I'm working so fast? I had four cups of coffee this morning." He replied, measuring something into a vial. She turned to glare at his back.

"'Four cups of coffee?'" She muttered, eyes wide. "Yeah, try getting used to having a growing fetus pushing down on your bladder! Do you know how _uncomfortable_ it can be?" She asked. He glanced back at her, rolling his eyes. After a moment, he reached across her to grab something; she pulled back, her nose meeting his. She found herself staring into his beautiful blue eyes, and for a brief moment, she forgot what they'd been arguing about, and hoped that their baby had his eyes.

"See, this isn't so bad, is it?" He asked, grinning. Her eyes flicked from his to his lips, and she leaned closer-

"You gonna try that stuff or what?" She nodded to the solution in his hand. Zane pulled away, a frown tugging at his lips, and he removed the lid from the solution and mixed it with whatever solvents and solutions he'd been trying. Without another word, he knelt down to try the solvent. Jo tugged, groaning. "Oh my god, we're gonna be stuck like this forever." She lay her head on her arms, taking a deep breath.

"Hey guys, pick out a china pattern for the nursery yet?" Both turned to see Carter wander in. They both scoffed, before moving around the counter. "Wait! I need Jo for a second." She grabbed the counter.

"Kinda busy now, Carter. And that means-"

"My job is _less_ important than yours?" Jo demanded, turning to her husband as she cut him off. He rolled his eyes.

"That depends, can you do it with one leg?" Zane snapped; Jo had no choice but to follow him as they moved to another counter. Carter nodded, unsure of how to respond. After a moment, he pulled out the blueprints Henry had given him. They were ripped and burned in some places, but were good enough to look over and find a way in. When the two finally returned to the counter they'd spent all day at, Carter pushed the blueprints towards Jo.

"I was thinking, we could look for a possible weak spot-" He started, but Jo cut him off.

"And if we find it, then we can protect it and get in later." She said, scanning the images. After a moment, she pointed to something on the blueprint. "This might be it-"

"Um, guys, can I just get to my-" Zane, who had been trying to reach his tablet, turned to the two officers. Both ignored him. He turned back, reaching for it, but he stopped, turning back to his wife and the sheriff, catching only the last of their conversation. "Great. But first- _CAN WE GET THIS BLOCK OF CEMENT OFF OF OUR FEET?_" Carter and Jo ducked their heads briefly, before turning to stare at him. He swallowed. "I... I just want... my... Sorry..." He sighed, propping his chin on his hand on the counter.

"Great, I'll go see if I can find-" Carter started, but one look at the agitation on both Jo and Zane's faces, he nodded, fleeing.

* * *

"This solvent might work, but FYI, there's a chance of a slight explosion." Hendricks said, pulling a solvent out of his bag and kneeling down to spray the cement. Jo's head snapped up.

"It... it won't do any damage, will it?" She asked, protectively wrapping her arms around her stomach. Hendricks's eyes moved quickly to her middle before glancing at Zane. Concern filled the younger man's eyes; her fear was rampant in those blue orbs.

"No." Hendricks replied. "It'll be fine." Jo narrowed her gaze, but kept her mouth shut to keep from correcting him.

"Whoa, explosion?" Jo turned to Hendricks, ignoring Zane.

"Just do it." He moved away after spraying the cement with his solvent, and as the rock began to crumble and break apart. Both leaned down on opposite sides to watch; Jo wrapped her arms protectively over her belly as the rock finally began to explode, and quickly, Zane pulled Jo into his arms, pressing her against his chest, so that they were guarding her stomach. She groaned, pulling away from him once they were able to move. "_Thank God_!"

"Oh look, you're finally free." Lexi said, from her perch beside Zoe's bed.

"Yes, and another five minutes, and I would have_ chewed off my own leg_!" Jo snapped as she left.

"Your mouth is probably big enough!" Zane snapped back, turning to Hendricks. He rolled his eyes, nodding to follow Jo. "Come on. She knows where there's another entrance." They caught up to her outside GD; the trio rode in silence on their way to the bunker, and once there, outfitted in flack jackets and climbing gear, the three made their way to the air shaft.

Hendricks led the way. "Look, I know this was a rushed job, but I did seal the entire facility." Jo rolled her eyes at Hendricks as she tugged on her gloves.

"You know, every fortified position has its weak point. I'm thinking yours is down at the bottom of that ventilation shaft." Jo said, pointing towards the shaft in question.

"You might know that, but how does Carter know that, Jojo?" She stopped, standing in the open doorway to the truck.

"We looked at the same schematic. You know, Zane, when two people really know each other, then they're in sync, and when they're partners-" He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, Jojo, I get it. Can you just drive the car please?" He snapped.

"I can't believe the shaft was here the whole time." She muttered, climbing into the car.

"Yeah, labeled on every map as a 'capped well.'" Zane replied, as Jo put the car into drive and slowly hit the gas. Once the cap was off, she climbed out of the car followed the men to the shaft, accepting Zane's hand to help her onto the lip of the entrance. "Whoa! Hold on! There's a huge amount of radiation coming out of that shaft. There's no way we're going down there." Zane said, checking the readings on his handheld device. He glanced at Jo. "You're definatley not going down there."

"Don't worry about that." Hendricks replied.

Jo laid her hand against the small rise of her belly. "Some of us might want to have... more kids someday." She replied; Zane turned to her, interest in his blue eyes at the thought of having more children with Jo.

"Really?" She nodded.

"Yeah, but you can go right ahead." He glared at her, curling his lip. He understood that his wife was pregnant, but that didn't mean that Jo had to snap at every little thing he said. Hendricks cut in, stopping the couple's spat from getting worse. He dropped his rope on the ground, turning to Jo and Zane.

"The radiation signal's are false. Thorne had me put an emitter here by the entrance."

The couple busied themselves for several minutes before Zane said, "She really wanted to keep people out of here, didn't she?"

"Yeah, well, too bad." Jo replied, hooking a belt onto the loop of her belt and following Zane over the rim and into the shaft.

"You okay, Jojo?" He asked, worry filling his eyes. She met his gaze, pulling away when he reached up to help her the last couple feet. She pulled away.

"I'm fine!" She hissed. "Do you have the solvent?" Glowering at her, he pulled it from his pack, and turned to the Instantanium. Once he'd finished spraying it, he wrapped his arms around Jo, pulling her close, his arms going around her waist, making sure to protect her tummy. When the last of the rock had disappeared, Jo and Zane stepped forward to see Carter and Thorne, eyes wide. "Good afternoon! My name is Jo Donovan and I'll be saving your ass today!" Zane rolled his eyes; Jo had changed her name back since Zane had arrived, and he was beginning to think it had been a bad idea.

* * *

Jo lay on the sofa in Allison's office, feet up on the coffee table, hands on her belly. When she and Zane had returned with Hendricks, Allison had checked her over. The tests came back clear, but she was exhausted from running around, and Allison had ordered her to rest her feet. Zane sat beside her, going through the journals they'd found in the bunker. Every once in a while, he would reach over and lay a hand on her knee, squeezing softly before returning to the research.

"How're you doing, Jo?" The deputy looked up.

"I'm fine, Allison, my feet just hurt. That's all." The older woman sat on her other side.

"Even so, you've been on your feet all day. You need to put your feet up, give yourself a break."

"You talk like you've done this before." Jo joked. Allison chuckled.

"I have." The deputy sighed, turning her attention back to Zane.

"All I can find here are designs for some kind of bomb." He muttered, flipping pages. "A big bomb."

"They spent their last days on Earth working on a doomsday weapon?" Allison asked from seat beside Jo. Thorne shook her head.

"Not my brother, he was looking for a solution."

"Well, maybe the bomb is the solution." Carter said, having spoken for the first time since entering Allison's office.

"It doesn't say how far they got." Zane replied. They conversed for several more minutes, before everyone split off into their seperate areas.

Mansfield stopped Jo before she left Allison's office. The young woman stood, a hand rubbing at her lower back. "It's good to see you again, Josefina." She turned, giving Mansfield a small smile. Her father and Mansfield had been in the Army together, and it had surprised Jo to find out that James had made Mansfield her godfather. She'd known the Mansfield family had had a strong presence in her childhood, but she hadn't known the connection until before graduating from The Point.

"It's good to see you again, Sir." She whispered, laying a hand on her belly. Mansfield's eyes drifted down to her stomach, and he felt a smile tug at his lips.

"So what James said was true. You and that felon husband of yours are expecting." She chuckled softly.

"Zane may be a trouble maker, but he's no felon, Uncle Theo." She whispered, using a personal endearment very few except his godchildren, nieces and nephews used. The old general dropped his stern, commanding presence and stepped closer. He gestured to her belly, asking silently, and Jo nodded. He lay a hand against her belly, a small smile appearing as the baby kicked against the unfamiliar weight. "Shh, calm, Bug. It's just my Uncle Theo, he just wanted to tell you hello." Jo whispered, laying a hand at the top of her belly.

"Bug? I hope you aren't going to-"

"No, it's just... a pet name. No, we have her name already picked out. We're just, waiting until she's born to announce it." Mansfield raised his eyebrows.

"A... you're having a daughter?" She nodded.

"Yeah. We're having a little girl." She glanced up at him. "At least, I get my daughter on the first try, not the last." Mansfield chuckled.

"Your mom was so happy when she found out she was having a daughter. She loved you so much, Jo. She didn't leave because she _didn't_ love you, she left_ because_ she loved you and your brothers. She didn't want you to watch her die." Jo nodded, sniffling.

"I... I know that, now."

* * *

"Sensor's into the water table. It'll take a few seconds to get the reading." Zane said, as Jo tightened her ponytail. They stood near the airshaft, checking the water table to see if the atomic bomb they'd set off had worked.

"And let us know if we're all gonna die?" Jo asked, crossing her arms.

"Pretty much." He replied, meeting her gaze.

"Well, no matter how it turns out-"

"It's been a fun day." Zane cut in. She thought a moment, licking her lips as she met his eyes.

"Yeah. I guess it was." He sighed, tinkering with the device. Jo fingered her pendant, feeling the raised towers and the small sapphire. The alarm went off, "So... what's the verdict?" Her arms crossed and she shifted from foot to foot.

"The explosion's completely neutralized the baryogenic radiation in the aquifer. Groundwater's safe." She mirrored his smile as their eyes met.

"Good for us." Zane pulled his phone out of his pocket, and glanced at his wife.

"I should call Allison and let her know." She nodded, turning to go, nervously clapping her palms together. After a moment, she turned back. "Jo?"

"Yeah?" They locked eyes, and she felt her heart begin to skip a beat.

"I'll meet you at Cafe Diem after I call this in. Outside or in?" She grinned as she made her way towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and capturing his lips in a deep kiss. When she finally pulled away, she ran her hand along his waist, giving him a big smile.

"Guess it's not so bad being stuck together. And.. outside." He rolled his eyes and kissed her quickly before letting her go.

"Allison Blake, please." Zane said into his phone, watching as Jo left.

* * *

"I didn't really want to get away from you that bad, it was... kind of nice being stuck together." Jo said, taking a bite of her ice cream. Zane chuckled softly, draping his arm over the back of her chair. They, Carter and Allison sat discussing the craziness they'd all just survived, but soon, the conversation quickly turned to Jo and Zane and their plans for the baby's room.

"And I... totally didn't mean the thing about your mouth being so..." She nodded at his hand motions.

"I... I get it. It... it's fine." She replied, blushing as she sipped her tea. Allison chuckled, and Carter rolled his eyes as Zane leaned close.

"To be honest, I quite love your mouth." He whispered; she grinned, catching his chin in her hand and stealing a kiss. Carter groaned, and Jo glanced at him, thinking he was tired of their little displays of affection, when she glanced behind her, and saw the real reason he was upset- Zoe, making out with Lucas.

"I'm not gonna look." Jo and Zane both laughed as Carter did just that, and tried desperately to scrub the image from his mind.

"So, Carter, are you excited about being an uncle?" Jo asked, glancing over to see Lexi trying to teach Fargo how to knit. Her hand moved to caress her belly, and she chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess, I mean... I... I'll have two nephews and a niece-" He said, glancing at his deputy, who smirked. "I never really had boys around, so-."

"Well they'll need a role model." Allison said, as Jo took a sip of her tea and Zane pressed a kiss to his wife's cheek. Carter sat up, suddenly excited.

"True! I can _finally_ coach Little League." Allison gave Carter a warm smile, before glancing at Jo.

"You'll be a great coach. And I was... kind of hoping you'd be mine."

"Little League?" Carter asked. Zane looked from one woman to the other, picking up on the secret, shared smiles they wore. Allison shook her head.

"My birthing coach. I'm pregnant." Since Stark had been killed- or, dematerialized, rather- in another classic Eureka accident a couple weeks earlier, Allison had been struggling to keep it together. And now, with the discovery of her pregnancy and the prospect of Nathan's child being her last link to her husband, it gave her hope to move on. Jo couldn't fight the smile on her face. She reached over and took Allison's hand, squeezing.

"Allison, that's great! Congratulations!"

"How?" Carter asked. Jo and Zane exchanged glances, laughing.

"The usual way." Allison replied as Zane rolled his eyes.

"I got the..." He amended, realizing how it sounded. "Is it-"

"Nathan's." Allison whispered.

"Oh, Allison." Jo gave her hand another squeeze, tears coming to her eyes. "Looks like you're going to have to deal with three pregnant women now, Carter. Can you handle that?" She asked, wiping tears from her cheeks. But the celebration was cut short when Mansfield showed up.

"You don't make my job easy, do you, Carter?" Zane helped Jo up from the table, laying a hand on her back as the four stood. "Where's Thorne?"

"General, I can-"

"I have no evidence that you've been insubordinate, Dr. Blake. Don't give me any." The other three fell silent.

"Uh, sir..." As Carter tried to explain himself, Mansfield began to lose patience. He glanced towards his goddaughter.

"Your job is to _enforce_ the law, not to make judgements."

"Yes, sir." Carter whispered.

"You're a good man." Mansfield glanced at Jo; he knew how much this would hurt her, but he had no choice. "But you disobeyed a_ direct_ order, and this time, I can't look the other way. Eureka no longer requires your services. You are fired, Carter." Jo's eyes widened in shock, and she turned to see Carter, eyes wide in shock.


	18. Chapter 18

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: Okay, so, since this is an alternate reality, not everything that happened in Season 3 happens in this reality. I cut out _Your Face or Mine?_ and replaced it with _Have an Ice Day _because Jo's pregnant in this, not Allison, and _YFOM?_ just didn't make sense when I wrote it in this universe. This chapter takes place afte _Insane in the P-Brane_, so Tess is Head of Section Five, not Head of GD, because Allison isn't on maternity leave in this universe. Yet. So, in this universe, _Have an Ice Day_ comes after _It's Not Easy Being Green_. **

_ July 8, 2008 _

She stretched, letting her body settle back into the blankets. Her hands slowly moved down the round expanse of her stomach, and she pushed the satin top she wore up, exposing the stretched skin of her belly. She traced patterns lightly, feeling the baby kick every so often before settling down. She hummed softly before reaching for the clock.

Four-forty-five.

She didn't need to be at work until seven, and even then, she didn't need to be at work. Allison had asked her to come in for a checkup and ultrasound to make sure everything was okay. Everything was more than okay; it would be perfect. The baby kicked hard against her tracing fingers, and after a moment, Jo rested her hand over her belly. She'd hardly had time in the last month and a half to just take a moment and enjoy her pregnancy- sure, she enjoyed it, but she had never really spent _time_ laying in bed, with her hands on her stomach, _feeling_ her child move inside her, identifying the little kicks and flutterings going on within her belly. When Zane was home, he always made sure to lay his hand on her belly and feel the baby move, to talk to her, and do all the things fathers-to-be did. But he'd been in the Arctic for the last month, on a special project for GD, and Jo missed him terribly. She suspected the baby did too. Slowly, she pushed herself to a sitting position, shifting several pillows behind her back.

"Daddy's coming home today, Bug." She whispered, sitting back, her legs splayed out in front of her, her hands slowly working over her belly. The baby kicked, and she winced, gently pushing back with the heel of her hand. Again, she kicked, and Jo sucked in a breath. "I know, I know you're excited. I am too. But you have to be patient. Daddy's coming back from the Arctic, and that's a long way from Eureka. But he'll be happy to see you, I know he will. He'll get to see how much you've grown, and-" The baby kicked again, harder this time, and she winced. "That was my kidney, Bug. Be gentle. You hurt." She lay back, taking a deep breath, like she'd learned in her birthing class, and after a moment, she began to hum softly, calming the baby inside her, and ultimately, putting herself to sleep.

She awoke to a sharp kick to her ribs around six-thirty, and figuring she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, she got up, going into the bathroom and taking a quick shower. She pulled on her uniform, and left the house, heading to GD. She arrived just as Allison got there at seven. With a big smile, the GD head led her into the infirmary. "You're in a good mood." Allison commented, pulling up the ultrasound. Jo sighed, meeting Allison's gaze.

"Zane comes home today." The good doctor nodded, remembering.

"That's right. I forgot. He's been gone-"

"A month." Jo finished, resisting the urge to caress her belly as Allison turned the screen towards her.

"There's your baby girl." Jo couldn't hide the smile as she laid eyes on the screen.

"How is she? Is Bug okay?" She asked, suddenly overwhelmed. Allison raised an eyebrow.

"Ah... 'Bug?'" Jo blushed. She had to have known that Allison would pick up on the name.

"It... it's just... a pet name. Until she's born."

"And... what's her real name?" Allison asked, as Jo sat up.

"We're not telling, not yet. But... her name has special meaning. Very special meaning." Allison nodded, taking a seat beside her. Jo's gaze drifted down to the doctor's own stomach. "And... how's your little one, doing?" A blush appeared on Allison's cheeks, and she laid a hand over her own belly, still small because she was only in her first trimester. Lexi had since gotten together with Duncan, the twins' father, and left to settle down somewhere _other_ than Eureka, leaving Allison and Jo to bond over their impending motherhood.

"Good. Healthy." She gave Jo a small smile, taking her hand. "And speaking of healthy- Bug is perfectly healthy. You're at twenty-six weeks; that's halfway through your pregnancy, so you had better start thinking of your birthing plan, because that day will be here sooner than you know it." Jo chuckled, squeezing her hand.

"I am. Zane and I both have been. And we... oh, we still need to get the nursery ready and have the baby shower and... do all this stuff to get ready for her to come into the world... and my husband's in the _Arctic_..." She tried not to cry, but couldn't help it, and Allison held her close, rubbing her back.

"I know, it's tough. But you said it yourself, Zane's coming home today." Jo took a deep breath, quickly wiping the tears away.

"I hate being hormonal." Allison chuckled as she stood and helped Jo to her feet.

"It only gets worse as you get closer to giving birth. Trust me, I've been there."

* * *

A moment passed, and she laid a hand on her belly as Taggart leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. She blushed; she'd always had a soft spot for Taggart; the man treated her like a kid sister, chatting and partaking in their never-ending game of paintball. When he returned to his audience, Jo glanced up, seeing Zane watching them. She went to him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Zane, what you saw... between Taggart and me. It... it wasn't... romantic or anything. You know that, right?" She asked, and he turned from her, getting up and leaving with a deadpan, 'Don't worry about it.' over his shoulder to her. Hurt, she fled the cafe, heading back to the office, only to find Carter surrounded by folders. "Someone looks tense. What's the matter?" She took a seat in one of the hardback chairs facing Carter's desk, knowing full well if she sat beside him on the sofa, she'd never be able to get up.

"Captain Yuri has me through Eureka's entire library of disaster plans. Tsunami, missle attack." He held one up. "Genettically modified super-intelligent ferret infestation." She nodded. "And apparently we have a pneumatic vaccum tube communication system. No, we don't!" Jo got up, going to the photograph of George Bush and pulling it back. She picked up his baseball, lifted the lid, stuck it in and shut the door. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Um.. Zane... he's just... being so cold. He... he didn't say anything to me, and... and when I told him about how big Bug has gotten-" She sniffled, laying a hand on her tummy. "He didn't bat an eyelash."

"I think after a couple weeks with Taggart, anyone would need a little alone time." Carter whispered, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Just try to be patient." She nodded as he left.

* * *

Jo held back, letting Carter handle the questions when Zane came into his lab. She searched for any sort of little changes in her husband, noticing only his cold demeanor and deadpan-ness. He looked the same as he had when he left a month ago, just pale, tired and slightly disheveled. "Have you_ seen_ the rotunda?"

"Yes. And again, that really doesn't affect my responsibilities." She snapped. Affect his responsibilities? His wife and unborn child were part of his responsibilities, couldn't he see that? Couldn't he see that_ she_ was his responsibility? That the baby growing inside her, _moving_ inside her, was his, and therefore, his responsiblity?Her hands moved to her belly, and she took a deep breath. Would he still be this way when they went home? When they were alone in their bedroom? Was this how she was going to have to live her life from now on, distanced from her husband, even as they lived in the same home?

"What the_ hell_ is going on?" She snapped, pushing Carter aside. "You go away for a_ month_, and come back acting like The Thing. What's going on with you?"

"I"m fine." He replied, heading into the refrigeration system. Jo took a deep breath.

"He's not _fine_. That's not _him_. He's different. That's_ not_ my husband, not Bug's father." She whispered, laying a hand over her belly. The baby moved, sensing her worry.

"Jo, look at the coffee-" She turned back to see Carter examining the coffee cup.

"I don't care-"

"It's frozen solid." She followed Carter, stopping at the doorway. Zane lay on the ground, his lips and skin blue, ice crystals forming on her lips. Carter knelt to check his pulse, and turned to Jo. "He's so cold. Jo, go get help!"

* * *

"Why is it that _every_ man in my life ends up in this infirmary?" Jo asked, vigerously fluffing her husband's pillows.

"'Cause you're bad luck, obviously." He replied, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. She pulled away.

"A joke, at my expense. Glad to have you back." She replied, going to the other side and working on the pillows until he grabbed her hands. She shivered; his hands were cold, so, so cold.

"Okay, about that, I'm sorry." She sighed, looking into his eyes.

"No, I... I'm sorry. If my horomones weren't so out of wack-" Tess had managed to melt the ice with an ultrasonic patch, only to find that said ice grew just as fast as it melted. After an hour, he'd finally started to come around, and was sitting up in bed, though he was shivering. She gripped his hand, trying to put some of her warmth into him. He shifted to meet her gaze, his blue eyes sparking at the sight of the woman he loved by his side.

"I don't blame you, Jojo, with what you've gone through in the last month- and the way I've been acting for the last few hours..." He laughed softly. She gave him a small smile as his gaze moved down to the swell of her belly. He untangled their hands, and reached out, laying his hand over her stomach. Silent, Jo moved until she'd settled on the edge of the bed so that Zane could be closer to her. "How... how did you get this big in a month?" She glared at him, and he chuckled softly. "I'm just asking, Jojo. I..." He sighed, slowly moving his fingers over her belly. "Is... is she okay? Bug... Bug's healthy, right?" Worry suddenly filled his eyes, and she laid a hand over his, giving him a soft smile.

"Bug's doing great, Zane. We... we've been experiencing Braxton Hicks, but Allison said that it's perfectly normal. It's just... getting Bug and I ready for birth." Zane met her gaze, giving her a soft smile. He didn't remove his gaze from the swell beneath his fingers, and after a moment, he laid back, removing his hand from her abdomen. He tilted his head upward, trying to see thescreen. "So, what's the prognosis?" Jo glanced at the screen over his head, unsure of what to say. After a moment, she replied,

"You're gonna be fine."

"Yeah?" He asked, suspicious.

"As soon as they figure out why ice with black lines in it is growing all over GD and in... side of you." She replied, taking his hands and clutching them in hers. He glanced at her, asking,

"Black... lines? You mean striations?" She shrugged, unsure where he was going with this.

"I guess."

"Huh. I came across something about that earlier this year when I was doing research for my cooling units." He turned, glancing out into the hallway. "Is Taggart working in the core lab?"

"Yeah, but-" He pulled away from her, pushing the blankets away and moving to get up.

"I need to help him."

"_No!_ You need to _stay here_... and get better. For Bug and I." He looked up at her. Jo stood, gently pushing him back down to the pillows, her hands lingering at his neck, caressing the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Jo, I'm... not going to get better. Not unless I help that crazy Australian find out what's happening around here. It's my only chance." He removed the silver nodes from his temples and stood, reaching for her shoulders as he got his balance.

* * *

"Glad to have you back, Zane." He gave Vincent a small, worn smile. After suceeding in stopping the ice, the entire town seemed to be celebrating, gathering at Cafe Diem for an impromptu party. Except for Zane, who- having suffered with ice inside him- was just exhausted, wanting nothing more than to go home with his wife, cuddle in bed with her, and discuss plans for the nursery. Jo made her way towards him, holding two of Vincent's cartons. She handed one to him, keeping the other for herself. "Your hands are still freezing." She exclaimed, taking his hand in hers. "I ordered you a soup and a hot tea." He gave her a small, tired smile, his blue eyes focused intently on hers.

"I really missed you."

"I-_ we-_ missed you too." She corrected, feeling the baby kick, before letting him pull her close. Then, she leaned up, capturing his lips in several short kisses that slid into a couple long ones. When he pulled away, he knelt down, pressing a kiss to her belly with a soft, "I missed you too, Bug."

"Glad to see things are warmed up around here." Zane stood and the two turned to see Taggart making their way towards them. She smiled softly at him, wrapping an arm around his waist as Zane's returned to her shoulders. The younger man seemed to think a minute before,

"Taggart, I'm sorry for the way I was acting the last few weeks." The older man waved it off with his usual nonchalance.

"No worries, you weren't yourself."

Zane nodded. "Well, thanks for bringing me back." The two men shook hands, before Zane wrapped his arm around Jo again.

"It's worth it to see this one smile." Taggart replied, nodding towards Jo, who leaned into her husband and laid a hand on her belly. "So, ready to get back to work?" The two moved past him, stopping in the doorway to turn back. Zane glance at his wife, chuckling.

"You'll have to get started without me. I believe I owe someone a proper hello." He looked at Jo, who nodded. Taggart chuckled to himself as the pair disappeared into the night. They walked to the car, lost in thier own thoughts, and didn't speak until they'd shut the door of their small house behind them. Once there, Zane set the cartons on the kitchen counter, turning to Jo, who had leaned down to greet Ash, who'd bounded into the kitchen once hearing the door open. When Jo stood, he was watching her, with a look in his eye she hadn't seen in a month. Suddenly self-conscious, she asked,

"What? Something wrong?" He shook his head.

"No. Everything's perfect." And he moved towards her, pulling her close and capturing her lips in a kiss that made her toes curl.


	19. Chapter 19

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

_ July 23, 2008 _

He gently pushed the door to their bedroom open, expecting to find his wife still sound asleep. She wasn't. Instead, she was sitting up in the middle of the bed, laying back against a small mountain of pillows, legs out in front of her, hands gently caressing her belly. She was taking deep breaths didn't seem to notice him; her eyes were closed. He chuckled softly as he realized that while she was doing as they'd learned in lamaze class- practicing her breathing- she also looked like a small island of satin purple, lost in the middle of a vast seat of white and dark green. After snapping a quick photograph that he intended to add to the baby's book, he took a seat beside her. Her dark eyes opened, and she turned her head to look at him, smiling and accepting the warm mug of tea he held out. "How're you doing, Jojo?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee. She sighed.

"Good, just... practicing my breathing." Zane nodded, checking the time on the clock, before remembering that Allison and Carter had both given them the day off to spend some time together and get things ready before the baby came. They'd already baby-proofed the house and done everything imaginable to prepare- except the most important: the nursery. She sighed, laying her head back against the pillows. "We still need to get the nursery ready, she'll be here soon." She whispered, rubbing a hand over the mound protruding from her middle.

"I know. And we will." He lay a hand over hers, thinking. "Didn't we agree that we wanted it to be a mix of both old and new?" She nodded, remembering the arguement that had stemmed from their conversation of how to decorate the nursery. Jo had wanted to used old-fashioned furnishings; a bassinet, a rocking chair, changing table, things her parents had used before her; while Zane had suggested they go high-tech. In the end, they'd come to a compromise. "Eleven more weeks." He sighed. "It doesn't seem real."

"Oh, it's very real." She replied, pushing herself up to adjust the pillows; Zane quickly fixed them, helping her sit back. "She's a very active little girl. Just like her daddy." He chuckled, kissing his wife quickly. "I asked Allison yesterday, and she said that it's normal for her to move around like she has been. She said that... this is the most active she'll be, but as we get closer and closer to her coming out into the world, that the activity will stop as she..." He nodded, understanding as she trailed off.

"I get it. As she gets closer to being born." They lapsed into silence, only to have it broken as the phone rang. Zane rushed to get it, leaving Jo alone in the bed, tracing patterns on her tummy. Suddenly, she cried out, and Zane rushe back into the room, phone to his ear. "Jojo, sweetheart, what's wrong? Are you okay?" She grimaced, digging her teeth into her lower lip.

"Oh God, that was my kidney! I know you're getting in as much activity as you can, Bug, but you hurt! That's Mommy you're kicking, you know!" Zane laughed, relieved that it was only his wife dealing with their very active little girl, and not something more serious. After a moment, he turned the phone on speaker, laying it on the bed between Jo's legs.

"It's Dad." Zane chuckled, taking a seat beside her.

"Hi Dad." Jo lay her head back, continuing to rub the latest spot where her baby girl had kicked her.

"Hey sweetheart. So I hear you've been getting kicked." Jo sighed.

"Yes. Bug's been... doing as much as she can over the last couple weeks or so. And while I'm glad she's having so much fun bruising my insides, I feel..." She struggled to sit up, and Zane helped her move the pillows so that she was leaning forward. Gently, Zane began rubbing her back. "Like a small house. I'm huge."

"You are not, Jojo. You're only twenty-eight weeks along. Now when you get to thirty-six or thirty-eight-" He pulled back as Jo swung a pillow at him, laughing.

"Oh shut up, Donovan. You're not the one who's uterus is so large it's uncomfortable to do anything without your back hurting or being exhausted. And hopefully, I won't be as big at thirty-eight weeks because I'll have given birth by then." She said, groaning softly as he hit a particularly sensitive spot. On the other end of the line, James chuckled softly as his son-in-law and daughter argued softly.

"I'm sure you've never looked more beautiful, Josefina." She 'hhmed' softly.

"She hasn't. And she'll only get more beautiful as she gets closer to birth." Zane whispered, meeting his wife's eyes. A moment passed as Jo kissed him softly, thanking him for the sweet comment before letting him return to rubbing her back.

"Everything all right, Dad?" Jo asked.

"Yeah, just... wanted to check in, make sure everything's okay, see if you need anything." Zane glanced at Jo, who bit her lip.

"Actually, there is something we need, Dad." Zane replied, taking Jo's hand and squeezing, giving her the strength to ask.

"Sure, what do you need, Zane?" Jo licked her lips, glancing at her husband.

"Um..." She swallowed. "Actually, Daddy, we... we wanted to know..." Quickly, she cleared her throat, meeting Zane's eye. He nodded. "If you... if you still had Mama's... bassinet. The... the cherrywood one she used for... for me and my brothers." Silence filled the other end of the line, and Jo shook her head, struggling to keep her well of emotions down. "We... we want to use it. For the baby, when she comes. We want... to put it in the nursery... in Bug's nursery." Another minute passed, before they heard James's tear-filled reply,

"Of course I still have it, sweetheart. I would never think of getting rid of it." Jo relaxed, feeling a weight lifting off her shoulders.

"Can... can we use it? Please? For Bug, when she finally makes her debut in the world."

"Of course you can use it. It wouldn't be right if you didn't. Your mom would be honored, Josefina." She squeezed Zane's hand in delight, grinning from ear to ear.

"Thank you, Daddy."

"I'll hope on the first plane and bring it by today."

"Ah... are you sure?" Zane asked. "You were going to come visit today anyway, are you sure the bassinet won't be too much trouble? If it is, we can pick it up later."

"It won't be any trouble at all, Zane. I'll see you soon. And Jo, sweetheart, take it easy."

"We'd love that, Dad. We'll see you as soon as you get here." When they finished the conversation and both had hung up, Zane settled on the other side of the bed, across from Jo, reaching out to rub her belly. "Now, what do we do about the rest of the nursery?" She sighed, opening her mouth to speak as the doorbell rang. Zane got up, heading out of the room to answer it; Allison stood on the porch, holding two cartons- one of banana-pineapple-pickle muffins and a wrapped package. "Allison? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at work-"

"I know, but it's- if you can believe it- a slow day. Nothing is happening. So, I figured I'd stop by and see how you and Jo are do." Zane chuckled as she held out the cartons, the other one he realized being coffee and tea.

"Come on in, Jo's upstairs in the bedroom." He said, closing the door and following the Head of GD.

"Allison! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at work!" Jo moved to get up, but Allison leaned down, giving the younger woman a hug.

"It's an exceedingly slow day- nothing's happening, so, I figured I'd stop by. I picked up some muffins at Cafe Diem for you. See how you were doing. And, I also wanted to ask if you needed help with the nursery. Kevin's looking for something to do this summer, and he suggested painting the nursery for you." Jo gratefully accepted the carton, grabbing one and takin a bite as Allison and Zane settled on the bed on either side of her. "So, how are you doing? Everything feel okay?" Jo nodded, swallowing her bite.

"Other than the back pain, I'm good."

"Back pain? Where exactly?" Allison asked, the medical personnel in her kicking in.

"My lower back." Jo replied, gesturing behind her. The older woman nodded, thinking. After a moment, she got up, going to Jo and working her hands over her back.

"Here?" Jo nodded, wincing. "It's your sciatic nerve. Because you're in the last trimester, the baby is shifting position." Allison said, returning to her spot across from Jo. "She's moving and settling into the right position she needs to be in for birth. Lay back for me, real quick." Jo did as told, and slowly, Allison worked her hands over Jo's bulging tummy, feeling with not only a doctor's hands, but also a mother's. "Her head's right here. You feel her?" Jo nodded as Allison gently pressed down. "Zane, here." She removed her hand, allowing Zane to feel his daughter's head, just above his wife's hip.

"That's her head?" He asked softly. Allison nodded.

"She's almost in the right position. Another few weeks, and she should be in the right position and ready to be born." Jo sighed.

"Good. And... about the nursery- that would be a big help to us. Dad's coming to visit, and bringing the bassinet he and my mom used when I was born. He should be in in a few hours. So if Kevin wants to help, he's welcome to it." Allison nodded.

"Good. I'll let him know. Um... what do you have done in the nursery?" Jo and Zane shared a glance.

"Nothing, really. The house is babyproofed, but... we haven't done the nursery yet." The older woman nodded, reaching for a muffin, asking

"Well, what colors were you thinking for the nursery?" Jo bit her lip, glancing at Zane. He gave her a small smile, before getting up and leaving the room. He came back a few minutes later, a file folder in his hands. Silent, he handed the folder to Allison, who opened it up.

"We've got it all planned, or, at least what we want to do, but... haven't started." Zane told her. Allison's dark eyes scanned the drawings- no, architectural sketches, she corrected herself, most likely in Zane's hand- seeing a mix of old and new; familiar, beautiful baby furniture, sharing space in the nursery with high-tech gadgets, such as baby monitors and a stroller. "We decided that... we want to paint the nursery a soft light green and a... a calm sea blue." He said, glancing at his wife. She gave him a soft smile, reaching out to take his hand.

"Blue and green? Any reason why?" Allison asked, curious.

"Green sparks creativity and blue... blue induces calm. It just... it just works." He shrugged. Allison chuckled.

"It certainly does." After a moment, she shut the folder. "Why don't you two head up to Portland with your father, and spend the day together. Catch up, it'll be good for both of you." Jo sighed.

"If I have the energy-" Allison chuckled.

"Don't worry, this is first trimester fatigue- nothing compared to what you're going to feel when you get closer to thirty-nine weeks." She reached out, patting Jo's knee. "So, when your dad gets in today, take him up to Portland and spend the day. Or how about you both pack a couple bags, and spend the night up there? Make it a little family reunion."

"But what about work?" Zane asked. Allison waved a hand.

"Don't worry about it. As director of GD, I'm giving you the next_ three_ days off. It'll do you both good to get away, before Bug is born." And with a hug and kiss to both Jo and Zane, Allison left, taking the folder with her. Once she was in the car, she called up Carter, asking him to meet her at Cafe Diem, and to bring Zoe.


	20. Chapter 20

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

"Are you sure about this, Allison?" Carter asked. He glanced back as Henry and Fargo entered the house, cans of paint in their hands. Kevin, Zoe and her friends followed, carrying rollers and paint brushes and chatting about what Jo and Zane could have decided on for a name.

"I_ personally_ gave Jo and Zane the next three days off, Carter. They're up in Portland with Jo's father, spending some time together and catching up before the baby comes." She said, setting the folder Zane had shown her, and that she had secretly nicked, on the counter in the kitchen. The others all gathered around, except for Carter, who had gone into the living room. "Now, this-"

"What's this?" Everyone turned, before joining the sheriff. They all gathered around to see the bassinet James had brought for Jo and Zane to use.

"It's a... crib of some kind." Pilar said, reaching out to brush her fingers over the wood. Zoe slapped her hand away.

"Don't touch! It's Jo and Zane's!"

"It's her father's." Everyone turned to Allison. "Jo told me once that... if she ever had a baby, she wanted to use the bassinet that her mother had used for her and her brothers. Said that her great-great-grandfather had made it for her great-great-grandmother when they had their first, and that it was passed down to the oldest daughter in each generation. In this case-"

"Jo, since she's the only girl." Henry finished. Allison nodded.

"Wow. That's... that's quite a tradition." Carter whispered, studying the intricate engraving work; the roses engraved one the outside of the head and endboards, beautiful, intricate woodwork, on two sturdy, cherry wood rockers.

"It's beautiful." Allison whispered.

"So... so they're going to use this... for the baby?" Zoe asked, turning her gaze back to the beautiful, simple bassinet. Allison nodded, motioning everyone back to the counter in the kitchen. She spread out their plans, explaining little things as she went.

"Zane said that they wanted to paint the nursery a light green and a sea blue, for creativity and calm, which is why I had Fargo and Henry pick up the paint earlier. We're going to paint the nursery, and then we're going to pick up the furniture we ordered yesterday."

"It's ready?" Carter asked. Allison turned to him.

"Being Head of GD has its perks." She grinned. "Now, let's get started."

* * *

"How're you doing, sweetheart?" Jo looked up, smiling at her father as they sat outside a small cafe in Portland. She sighed, fingers skimming over her belly as the baby kicked in reply to her touch.

"Good. I'm tired. But that's to be expected, right? After all, I have eleven weeks left to go. Eleven weeks, and then she'll be born, and here in my arms instead of in my belly." James chuckled, glancing over his shoulder. Zane was answering a call from Tessa, who had called to check up on them, and see how Jo was doing. "Can I ask you something, Daddy?"

"Anything, sweetheart." James replied, sipping his coffee. "What's on your mind?" She swallowed, never taking her gaze from her tummy.

"Were you... were you scared? Being a parent?" When she met his gaze, her eyes were brimmed with tears, and she was struggling to keep from crying. Gently, James reached over, brushing the tears off her cheeks as he spoke softly.

"I was terrified. But... but when I first held Ricco, and I looked into his eyes... all my fears... all my doubts vanished. Suddenly, nothing else mattered in the world except your mother and I and that innocent baby. Parenthood changes you, Josefina. From the moment you concieve, it changes you. But for the better. That fear? It turns into joy. And believe me, that joy is the most precious thing in the world."

* * *

"How does this look, Dad?" Zoe called, as she finished her section of the nursery. The teens had painted the walls alternating blue and green, and then added stenciled designs to each wall in the opposite colors; stenciled green roses in bouquets on blue walls, and vice versa. Then, they'd painted the trim on the window white, and were putting the finishing touches on a few more stencil designs on the walls. The paint was the latest created in Eureka, quick dry and no scent, which even allowed Allison to help. Carter poked his head in from working on moving the small dresser upstairs, and stepping inside, quickly surveyed the work.

"Good job. It... it looks great. You three did good work." The teens shared excited glances, before gathering up the paint and brushes and tarp and carrying it out of the room. AIDA, the AI that Jo had had installed not long after arriving in Eureka, and that mainly kept to herself except when Jo or Zane needed her, spoke up.

"Is there anything else you wil need from me before Jo and Zane return home, Sheriff?" Carter glanced towards the ceiling. Used to SARAH's constant chatter, he found AIDA a little unnerving. The house didn't talk much; but she was fiercely protective of Jo and Zane, and had done everything possible to make sure this pregnancy went as easily for them as it possibly could.

"Ah... not right now, AIDA, thank you though."

"Very well." And without another word, AIDA went silent.

"I thought all AIs were like-"

"Like SARAH?" Fargo finished as he carried one of the drawers into the nursey, setting it down out of the way as Henry and Carter carried the empty dresser into the room, setting it down on the smooth mahogany floor. "No, not all AIs are the same, Sheriff. Each is one of a kind. AIDA just... happens to be one of the quieter types. She doesn't talk much, but she's a very good listener. And very protective of her people."

"Jo and Zane." Carter said.

"And the small human being currently residing within Jo." AIDA spoke up; her voice was softer than SARAH's, and Carter could see why Jo and Zane liked her so much. An AI with a softer voice would be better with a newborn around.

"Ah... how do you feel, AIDA, about the baby?" He asked, as the others brought more furniture in. The house seemed to think for a moment.

"What did you ask, Dad?" Zoe brushed her bangs away from her eyes. After a few more moments of silence, AIDA said,

"I find it quite fascinating that Jo and Zane have managed to create a new life without the use of wires or metal." Carter shook his head, wishing he hadn't asked. "And from what I've observed of their interactions, both seem to take this creation of new life quite seriously. Zane is very protective of Jo; he watches her like- how do you phrase it? Like a-"

"Hawk?" Lucas offered.

"Yes. Thank you." The house quieted down for a moment before adding, "He makes it a priority that she be taken care of first, to the point where he has worn himself out most nights, or cannot sleep at all, and so he paces. Some nights, I have caught him pacing back and forth in this very room, muttering to himself and worrying if he'll be a good father."

"He'll be a great father." Zoe said. "He loves Jo beyond reason, and he loves the baby so much-"

"But from what I have been able to figure out, Zane's father left him when he was young, and so his fears stem from abandonment. He is afraid that he will leave his child like his father left him."

"But he won't." Allison replied, glancing towards the ceiling. "He loves Jo and the baby too much to do that. He's not at all like his father."

"Maybe not, but that doesn't that he hasn't quit pacing. And as it gets closer and closer to Jo's birth, he's up more and more, worrying. I've had taken to slipping small doses of sleeping pills into his coffee at night in order for him to get sleep. His being up isn't good for him because it is making him sick, nor is it good for Jo because she worries about him, and therefore, it isn't good for the baby because she is carrying the baby and her worry could send her into early labor. And I have done everything I can to make sure she doesn't go into early labor. I am taking every precaution."

Silence fell as everyone digested this latest bit of information.

* * *

Over the next day, they cleaned and scrubbed and got everything ready for when Jo and Zane got back. At around two, James and Zane helped Jo into the house, only to find the bassinet gone. "Dad, didn't we... didn't we leave the bassinet..." She asked, turning to her father. James nodded.

"Yeah, we did. I was going to put it in the nursery when we got back..." He trailed off, only to notice Zane heading for the stairs, checking to see if anything else was amiss.

"Zane! Zane! Wait!" Jo followed, James behind her, and once they reached the nursery, Zane pushed the door open, confusion in his blue eyes. He was certain he'd closed the door when they left- "Zane? What is it, what's wrong?" But Jo stopped as she followed Zane into the room, her dad behind her.

On the other side of the door, they found the nursery complete; walls painted the very colors they'd been discussing, with contrasting stenciled bouquets of roses and ivy climbing the walls and decorating the space around the window. Shelves were up, and the furniture was in place; the bassinet near the window, pushed back in the corner, against the wall, with the rocking chair in the adjacent corner and the chaining table against the wall near the door. A small table sat by the rocking chair, and near the bassinet, was the dresser. Over the bassinet, on the wall, hung a photograph of Jo and Zane in a beautiful wooden frame.

"What the-"

"Do you like it?" All three turned to see Carter and their friends behind them in the hallway, anxiously waiting for their answer.

"How... how did you-" Zane stammered; it was rare for the young man to be speechless. His gaze flicked to Allison, and after a moment, he rolled his eyes. "I should have known."

"Do you like it?" Kevin asked. Zane gave the teen a small smile.

"It's beautiful, thank you. Jo-" But he stopped; Jo stood over the bassinet, a hand on her belly, running her fingers lovingly over the wood. Tears dripped onto the small pillow, and she turned, burying her face in her father's shirt.


	21. Chapter 21

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

_September 1, 2008_

"I can't believe you put me on _bedrest, Allison_!" The good doctor chuckled. She'd put her foot down and ordered Jo into the infirmary three weeks earlier, after her blood pressure rose due to Zane's near electrocution. Her husband had ended up in the infirmary after Henry's old ship the Columbus returned, and Kim Two Point Oh walked off the ship. Long story short: a computer virus that had jumped from organic computer to human had sent all of GD into a panic, and Jo had been forbidden from seeing Zane, for fear it would jump to her and hurt the baby. Carter, Allison, Henry, Tess and Kim were able to find a cure and everything was fine, but the incident had sent Jo's blood pressure through the roof. Allison had ordered her to the infirmary, and hadn't let her leave since. And the week before Zane's electrocution, Jo's baby shower had killed two of the women attending and nearly killed Tess, leaving the mother-to-be a bundle of nerves and stress, thinking she was cursed. Zane, however, hadn't left her side, sleeping in the chair by her bed for the last week, and jumping if she even lifted a finger. "Allison, I have work to do!"

"Jo. Look _down_. You can't go to work. You're in the last couple weeks of your pregnancy; you shouldn't even be on your_ feet_, let alone running around town with Carter doing investigations. You're staying here until that baby is born, no matter what you say!" Allison replied; Jo glared at her, tempermental and upset that Allison was so calm about this. A moment passed, before the deputy asked,

"Fine, but can I at least go down to Cafe Diem and have lunch with Carter like we've been planning?" She hurried on as Allison's expression darkened. "Instead of one of the tables or the counter, we'll sit in front of the fireplace on the sofa, and I'll put my feet up, and I won't move until it's time to come back here. Please? Allison, I'm going crazy laying here with nothing to do. And you won't let me go home because you want to keep a close eye on me- Allison, _please_, I'm _begging_ you. It's just for an hour- two at most_. Please_. I have to get out of here, otherwise I'm gonna go completely bugnuts."

A moment passed before the doctor took a seat on the edge of the bed, reaching up to lay a hand on Jo's round belly. She studied the younger woman, before trailing her fingers over the distended skin. "I saw the look on Zane's face when he thought he'd lost you three weeks ago. When we couldn't get your blood pressure down, and you went into a seizure, remember?" Jo swallowed, laying a hand on her belly beside Allison's. "We were able to stop it in time, and Bug is fine, she's healthy and strong, but... Jo, you can't go putting yourself into danger like this. You have another life besides your own to protect." Gently Allison rubbed her swollen stomach, feeling the baby kick. "Feel that? That's Bug, telling you that you need to take it easy,_ for her_. And that once she's born, you can do whatever you want, but _not before_. Understand?" Jo nodded, laying her head back against the pillows and letting out a frustrated sigh. Allison got up, going to her. "I know it's frustrating, and that you're miserable and you just want this to be over with, trust me, I've been there, but you have to be patient."

"She's never going to be born." Jo muttered, meeting Allison's eyes. The older woman chuckled.

"I know it seems that way, but she will be. Real soon. And when she is, you'll get to hold her and... and she'll be yours. For the rest of your life, she will be yours and Zane's to raise and protect and love. Just be patient." And with a kiss to Jo's forehead, Allison left, seeming to skip out of the infirmary with all the energy of her second trimester of pregnancy. Groaning in annoyance, Jo turned back to staring at the ceiling, her hands wandering over the expanse of her belly, skimming over her belly button, and resting where the baby's head had settled, positioned and ready to make her big debut. Jo looked up at the soft sound of chuckling, to see Zane leaning against the doorway, two cartons in his hands.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, pushing herself up. Zane quickly set the cartons on the chair and helped his wife. Once she was settled comfortably, he took a seat beside her, opening the cartons.

"Well, Carter said that you two were planning on having lunch, and since Allison has forbidden you from leaving this bed until Bug is born, Carter and I figured we would bring lunch to you." He said, as Carter entered, wheeling a cart with drinks, dessert and plates on it into the infirmary.

"I love it, thank you." She whispered, laughing softly as Carter stopped the carter at her bedside and pulled up a chair.

"How are you doing, by the way?" Zane asked, getting up to finish dividing their lunch. She sighed, laying her head back. "Everything all right?" He asked, sitting beside her as Carter took the chair. Gently, Zane reached up, brushing her bangs out of her eyes and trailing the back of his finger over her cheek. "Bug okay?"

"Bug's fine. She's... she's big and strong and healthy... and her head is..." She winced, shifting as much as she could. "Right there." She exhaled slowly.

"You okay, Jojo?" Zane's blue eyes instantly filled with fear, and she met his gaze, giving him a small smile.

"Just Braxton Hicks. I've been experiencing them for the last week and a half. Allison said that I'll experience them until I go into actual labor. They're just... practice ones." She said, settling back. She sighed. "Can't we just go one week without one of us ending up in the infirmary?" Zane chuckled softly, glancing at Carter, who shrugged and gave the couple a soft smile in return.

"Look at it this way, Jojo. We're in here because hopefully, our little bug will be coming into the world in another week or so." She nodded, and after several minutes, they settled down and had lunch, talking and laughing and chatting like any other day. Carter told Jo just how hard it was to handle the town without his deputy, and Jo told him that she was desperate to get back out and work, but wouldn't be able too until after Bug was born. Zane's phone rang halfway through lunch, and he excused himself to answer it, leaving Carter and Jo together in silence.

"Hey stranger. Long time no see." The sheriff chuckled, and was releaved to see Jo smile and relax. He got up, sitting beside Jo and laying a hand on her belly. "Sooo, you're in the home stretch. Two more weeks. You nervous?" Carter gently rubbed her belly, an action that helped calm Jo's frayed, strained nerves.

"Terrified. I... I've gone to war, been wounded in combat, watched my friends die, been caught up in a dust cloud... but none of it compares to this." She whispered. Carter nodded, swallowing.

"Actually, Jo, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." She looked up at him, waiting. "It's about... what happened to you and Zane..."

"With the virus? Carter, we're fine. Bug is fine. We're all perfectly healthy." He shook his head.

"No, I mean... about... what happened to you and Zane in New York. On September Eleventh, seven years ago."

"Nothing happened, Carter. We survived-"

"You did, but your friends didn't, and it obviously affected you. You watched them die- Jo, if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't be able to move on, let alone live like you and Zane have. You're making this family- but... but you've always got this... this cloud behind your eyes. This... pain. It's haunting you, Jo. We can all see it. You have to talk about it, otherwise it'll eat you alive." She shook her head, tears gathering in her eyes.

"I can't. I just... I_ can't_." Gently, Carter reached out and took her hand, meeting her gaze.

"Jo, someone told me once, that your past has a way of catching up with you, no matter how far you run. That... history has a way of haunting you. Jo, what happened that day- that's a part of your history, and you need to put it to rest, otherwise you'll never be able to get over it."

Carter waited, giving her time to gather her thoughts. She reached down, running her fingers over the distended skin of her belly, sniffling. "It was... September two-thousand-one and... my friends and I had just... graduated from our respective military schools, we were... spending a couple weeks in New York City... a last trip together before going to our respective bases... and on that day," She sniffled, looking up as Carter took her hand, squeezing gently, giving her his strength. Neither noticed Zane in the doorway, listening.

"It's okay. Take your time, Jo."

"Zane and I literally ran into each other- we were in a coffeeshop, and... I gave him my number and we left... and... we went to the North Tower, and as I was stepping into the elevator with them, my phone rang. I stepped out to answer it; Gwen said that they would save me a place at the booth in the restaurant... and they went up..." She let go of Carter's hand, reaching up to clasp her pendant, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I was in the lobby, when Flight Eleven hit..." She met his eyes, her own misted with tears. "I heard and felt the explosions, but I didn't know what was going on. And then... security started gathering everyone and ushering them towards the doors... I only left when one of the firemen carried me out into the street and..."

She looked up when Zane settled on her other side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. He took her other hand, pressing a kiss to her palm.

"Easy, Jo. Take your time, you don't have to rush." Carter whispered. She took a deep breath.

"I... I don't remember anything after that- except the North Tower falling. I don't remember the South Tower falling at all. I must have... ducked for cover... and went back... and I was covered in dust... and I watched as the North Tower fell... and then I was running, holding on to someone's hand. He pulled me behind a parked van in downtown Manhattan, and we huddled, as the cloud washed over us..." She met Carter's eyes, hers now leaking tears as she laid her past bare.

"You and... Zane?" Carter asked, looking at her husband. The younger man nodded.

"I was... there, for a job interview at... at NYU, and... spent some time in downtown Manhattan... I rushed down to help after the second tower fell and... it was so hard to see, it was so thick... and people were screaming and running and PASS monitors were going off and debris was everywhere... and... I don't know how I found her, but..." He met Jo's gaze, reaching up to brush her tears away. "I'm so glad I did." She pressed a kiss to his hand, taking a deep breath.

"So... you protected her. You got Jo away from the towers and... protected her."

"I've always protected her. From that moment on, I've always protected her. And I always will." Zane whispered. Jo shook her head.

"It's not fair, that I survived and they didn't. I shouldn't have gotten out of that elevator... I should have stayed in that elevator and gone up to the restaurant with them..." She choked out. Zane shook his head, moving to meet her gaze.

"No, no no! Jo, don't you dare think that! If... if you hadn't survived... we wouldn't have the life we have now, we wouldn't have the family we're going to have... we wouldn't have Bug..." He took her face in his hands. "Jo... I can't imagine my life without you in it. And... and the possible thought of Bug never having come into existence... I can't bear to even _consider_ it... you and Bug are the most precious things in my life..."

"It's not your fault, Jo. You didn't crash that plane, you didn't cause that tower to collapse. You are just as much a victim as everyone else who was there that day. You have to understand that, Jo. What happened on Nine Eleven was not your fault." And then, he got up, pressing a kiss to her temple before leaving, only to find Allison in the doorway, concerned.

"What did you do, Carter?" He took her arm, pulling her from the infirmary.

"I helped Jo let go of her guilt." He whispered, turning back to see Zane hold Jo against him, whispering softly and rubbing her back.


	22. Chapter 22

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

_September 4, 2008_

She shifted onto her side. She'd never been so uncomfortable in her life, even in her own bed. She'd managed to convince Allison to let her return home for the weekend, promising to come back to the infirmary on Monday. Allison, knowing how anxious Jo was to be home among familiar, comforting surroundings in these last days of her pregnancy, had relented, making the deputy promise to stay off her feet unless needed, and to call if anything felt even the slightest bit wrong. She glanced over her shoulder; Zane was sleeping soundly beside her, and after a moment, she called out softly, "Zane? Zane, baby, wake up. Zane!" His eyes snapped up, and he was on his feet instantly.

"Are you okay, should I call Allison?" She shook her head.

"No, I just... I can't sleep. I... I'm..." She sighed. "uncomfortable." He blinked the sleep from his eyes and got up, going to her side of the bed and adjusting her pillows before helping her settle back. Then, he returned to the his side of the bed and sat beside her, reaching out and taking her hand. He pressed a kiss to her knuckles, before leaning over and capturing her lips in a deep kiss that ended with a quick, chaste kiss to her nose. She sighed, glancing down at her gigantic belly. "I'm a _beached whale_._ Look_ at me! Bug has... taken over _everything_!" Her head snapped up when Zane laughed. "It's _not funny_, Zane! This is_ your_ child that's taken over my body-"

"And you've never looked more beautiful." He replied, returning to capture her lips in a long, deep kiss. She gave him a soft smile when they broke the kiss, before leaning up to and kissing him again. When they broke apart, he moved back towards her belly, and gently, laid his hands over her tummy. "I still can't believe we managed to talk Allison into letting you come home for a couple days while we get everything ready."

She chuckled. "I know. But... it's a good thing I'm going back in on Monday. It... I don't think it'll be much longer. I have this... funny feeling she'll be in our arms next week." Zane gave her a small smile, with,

"Mother-to-be's intuition?" She shrugged, and turned to study her stomach before reaching for him.

"Babe, help me up. I just need to go to the bathroom. She's pressing down on my bladder and I need to go, now." Zane chuckled, getting up and helping his wife to her feet.

"You need help?" She waved him off as she waddled towards the bathroom, and Zane shook his head, going down the hall towards the nursery. He slipped into the room and turned the light on, glancing around. It was beautiful, and with the furniture- the bassinet, the dresser, changing table, rocking chair- it was absolutely beautiful, and perfect for their little Bug. Gently, Zane ran his fingers over the bassinet, realization that his wife had, as an infant, slept within this same bassinet that their daughter would soon sleep in.

"Is it just me, or is my belly lower?" He turned, to see Jo standing in the doorway, hands on her lower back, her belly protuding heavily in front of her. He gave her a soft smile, going to her.

"She's settling into your cervix, love. You're body's getting ready for birth, of course your belly is lower." He tilted her chin up. "And you've never looked more beautiful." He kissed her quickly, before moving past her and heading back into the hallway. "Coming, Jojo?" But when he came back, it was to find Jo sitting in the rocking chair, her hands moving slowly over her belly, skimming over her belly, brushing over her belly button. She seemed lost in thought, and after a moment, Zane came back with his camera, and snapped a shot of his wife, planning on putting it in the baby's book. "Jojo?" She looked up, a beautiful smile breaking over her face when she met his gaze. She reached out, and he went to her, helping her to her feet. "Come on, let's get you back to bed." And with that, pushed her gently ahead of him, wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her belly, and then, walked her back to their room, with her leaning back against him as they moved down the hall. When they made it back to their bedroom, Zane helped her onto the bed; she sat on the edge, her legs down, belly protruding before her.

"I don't see how my mom could do this four times in six years." She said, slipping her hands beneath her belly, cradling it gently. Zane chuckled softly, climbing up behind her and working on massaging her back.

"Twelve years?" Zane asked; she glared at him, and he chuckled softly. "I didn't know there was that much of an age difference between you and your brothers." She scoffed gently.

"You don't know the half of it. Everyone assumed Luca and I were twins because we were so close as children. Dad actually called us the Little Pair and Davie and Ricco the Big Pair." Zane laughed softly as he continued rubbing her back. "Help me lay down, will you?"

Once she was laying comfortably back against the mountain of pillows, she lifted her pajama top, revealing her bulging belly. Her hands moved slowly, caressing her belly, skimming over her belly button and resting just above her hips. Zane watched her, silent, drinking in the sight of his wife, thick and round and heavy with their child, savoring these fleeting moments with her. All too soon, Bug would be out in the world, and they would be parents, feeding her and changing her and rocking her to sleep. Doting on her and loving her and protecting her as they'd done to each other over the last seven years. He hoped Bug looked like her mother, with her dark eyes and high cheekbones. He hoped she had her mom's lithe figure and beautiful skin tone. "You okay, Jojo?" She met his eyes, giving him a small, warm smile.

"I can feel her. She's moved; her head's right here." She reached out, and he joined her, letting her take his hand. She laid his hand at the very bottom of her belly, near her hip, turning to him. "Feel her head?" He nodded, a small smile on his face.

"Yeah. Wow. So she's... so her head is right here, ready for birth." Jo nodded, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "More Braxton Hicks?" She nodded. After a moment, he leaned down to press his lips to her belly. "We want to meet you, Bug. We can't wait to meet you, little one." The baby shifted, kicking lightly, and after a moment, Zane pressed a kiss to the side of his wife's belly. "I love you, Bug. I've always loved you. From the moment you were concieved, I've loved you." He pressed another kiss to her stomach, feeling the baby kick. Jo laughed softly as the stubble on his cheeks and chin tickled the sensitive skin of her stomach, and she reached down, tangling her fingers in her husband's hair.

"She's not going to like that nickname when she gets older." Jo said, referring to their nick name for the baby. Neither one was willing to give away her name until the day she was born. All the couple would say when friends asked, was that her name had a special meaning. "Bug." Zane chuckled, pressing another kiss to his wife's distended skin.

"It's better than munchkin or any of the other nick names most parents come up with." He replied, tracing patterns gently along her skin.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" She asked, shifting before settling back against the pillows. Zane met her gaze, a disgusted look on his face. "What I meant was... this time together. Just us and Bug." A moment passed before he nodded.

"Of course I am. This could very well be the last weekend we have to ourselves before Bug decides to make her entrance. Besides, seeing how big you've gotten-"

"If you say, that I look like a whale, I swear, Zane Matthew, I'll-"

"is absolutely amazing." He said, moving up to kiss her quickly on the lips. "This is our child inside you; a... a little... tiny human being, that's half of you and half of me..." He turned his gaze back to her stomach, and gently caressed it, feeling the baby kick hard against his hand. "Our little Bug is... she's a miracle. She's our little miracle."

"Women have babies all the time, Zane." Jo whispered, pushing herself up and away from the pillows. She took a deep breath, laying her hands on her stomach as her body continued to practice. "What if- Zane, what..." He turned his blue gaze to her, waiting patiently for her to speak. She swallowed, glancing down as she ran her hands over the mound that had taken over her life for the last nine months.

"What is it, Jojo? What's wrong?" She took a deep breath, meeting his eyes, as tears slid down her cheeks.

"What if she's like them? Like me?"

"What do you mean? Of course she'll be like you, she is half of you, Jo-" She shook her head.

"No, I mean... what if, as she grows up... she discovers what happened and... and blames us... blames me, for surviving?" Zane sighed, his eyes closing as he took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. He'd been expecting this, but had hoped she would bring it up earlier in her pregnancy, not while she was in the home stretch and when her labor could start any day.

"Jojo... that won't happen."

"You don't know that, Zane-" He took her chin in his grasp, gently thumbing her bottom lip.

"Yes, I do. She won't blame you, Jo. She'll understand. We have to let this go. I thought, when Carter asked-"

"I tried, but... I just... I feel responsible. I am responsible. It was my fault-" Zane moved closer, wrapping his arms around her and holding her against his chest, stroking her hair away from her face and letting her cry.

"Don't you dare say that, Jojo. It was not your fault, or my fault, or anyone else's except for the ones who caused it. Okay? The last thing we need is stress causing you to pop Bug out before Monday. Allison would kill me." She laughed softly at his last comment, wiping the tears off her cheeks.

"We'll never get over it, will we?" She asked, laying her head back against his chest. He shook his head, resting his cheek against her hair.

"No. We can try, but it'll always be there. The best we can do is remember them and live our lives." After a while, Jo settled back against the pillows, and returned to talking softly to the baby, pressing soft kisses against Jo's skin.

"She knows who her daddy is." Jo whispered, as Zane gently pressed a soft kiss to the stretched and distended skin of her belly. He met her gaze, giving her a soft smile. A moment passed, before he whispered,

"I love you, Bug. You just stay inside Mommy and keep growing. We don't want you coming out until you're ready. And when you do come out, Mommy and I will be here to welcome you into the world."


	23. Chapter 23

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

_September 10, 2008_

_11:50 P.M._

Zane opened the door, to see Zoe, Lucas, and Pilar on the porch, all carrying a basket of some kind. The kids had just gotten back from Portland, and wanted to drop off their presents before midnight, figuring at least Zane would be awake if Jo was sound asleep in bed. "Hey, what... what are you three doing here?" He asked, leaning against the doorway.

"We come bearing gifts." Pilar said, holding hers up. Zane chuckled.

"I can tell, come on in." The teens followed him into the house, to find Jo sitting back on the sofa with her feet up, her dog Ash laying on the floor beside her. The dog growled when the teens entered, but Jo gently swatted her nose with a stern warning, and after a moment, the dog returned her head to her paws. "Look who I found on the front porch." Zane said, going to Jo and helping her sit up.

"Hey, what brings you three here ten minutes to midnight?" She asked, tossing her hair over her shoulder once she was sitting. The kids put their baskets down before taking seats.

"Well, um... we wanted to get you something for the baby." Zoe said.

"You didn't have to; you did so much for Bug already by painting her nursery." Jo said, rubbing her belly.

"We know." Lucas said. "But we wanted to do something else for her, besides the nursery, since everyone else gave you gifts at your shower-"

"So we pooled our money and drove up to Portland yesterday after school and picked you up some 'good, old-fashioned baby essentials.'" Jo raised and eyebrow, accepting the basket Lucas had given her, as Zoe spoke. "I remember you telling Allison at one point that you didn't want everything to be high-tech and the lastest invention for Bug, and that the majority of things that your parents used is good enough for her. That you didn't want all high-tech devices and things for Bug after she's born- like the bassinet." Jo nodded.

"I did."

"So, we went up to Portland and pooled our money and bought a bunch of baby clothes and toys and little trinkets for her, to decorate her room. We also came to help if you need anything until the baby's born, and then we'll let you... parent." Pilar said, as Jo looked through the basket, pulling out a pair of brown furry booties and a matching brown coat with brown ribbons and a hood that had bear ears on it.

"Oh my God, where did you find this?" Jo asked, running her fingers over the soft material.

"In a little clothing shop in Portland that sells vintage and Victorian-inspired clothing and home decor." Pilar said. "We going to get her the lamb one, but since you call her Bug, and we couldn't find any bug coats and booties, we got her the next best thing, which was bear. Do you like it?"

"I love it, thank you." Jo whispered, holding the jacket against her belly. "What do you say, Bug? You like it?" Jo felt a very light, yet firm kick, and she chuckled. "I think she likes it." Once the gifts were opened and neatly returned to the baskets, the three took their baskets upstairs and put them away in their proper places. Meanwhile, Jo had gotten up and waddled into the kitchen, accepting a glass of orange juice, which Zane set on the table before helping her take a seat at hte kitchen table. "I can't believe the irony." Jo said, as Zane took a seat next to her.

"What's that?" He asked, rubbing her back. Jo set her glass on the table, and lay a hand on her belly.

"They sent me home. I was_ supposed_ to stay in the infirmary until Bug was born, and because they are starting a sonic cleaning that goes from today until tomorrow morning at eleven, they sent me home." She chuckled. "I wanted a homebirth anyway, so now I get my wish." Jo said, as Pilar came into the kitchen, asking for a hammer and nails to hang a pretty little mirror they'd found at the same shop. Jo glanced down at her belly. "You better be ready to come out, Bug, because I am _not_ going to go another week like this." Zane laughed softly, leaning over the capture her lips in a kiss.

"She'll come out soon, Jojo. Give her time." When they pulled apart, Zane helped her up, and she waddled into the living room, heading for the stairs. "Zoe and her friends are still working on Bug's room. I'll let them know to keep it down, so you get some rest." She didn't say a word, instead, just hurried down the hall to their bedroom. Once the door was closed behind her, she struggled out of her clothes and into her pajamas before laying down to take a nap.

Four hours later, a sharp pain radiated through her lower back, and her eyes snapped open. She pushed herself up, staying still, trying to gauge whether this was real or just another round of Braxton Hicks. But when she sat up, the pain got worse. _Okay, so this time it's real._ She took a deep breath, pushing herself to her feet and moving towards the door. Her nails dug into the doorframe, and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath._ "Zane!"_

The sound of hurried footsteps came from both directions, as Zoe and her friends skidded to a stop in the hallway and her husband bolted upstairs. "Jojo? What's wrong?" Fear filled his blue eyes, and she reached for him; he rushed to her, taking her hand and laying his other on her back. She dug her nails into his skin, drawing blood and- "Jojo, sweetheart, you're crushing every bone in my hand."

"It appears, Zane, that Jo has gone into labor. Her contractions have started, and are ten minutes apart. Shall I call Allison?" AIDA asked, as Lucas rushed to wrap his other arm around Jo's waist and lead her downstairs so they could get to the car.

_"That would be good!"_ Zane snapped.

"Zane! Calm down!" Zoe cried as she and Pilar followed. Once Jo had been settled as comfortably as she could be on the sofa, Zane turned to the teen.

"_Calm down_? My wife just went into _labor_, Zoe! Our baby is in the process of leaving my wife's body and coming into the world!"

"I'm afraid Dr. Blake isn't picking up, Zane. And since Global Dynamics is closed for sonic cleaning, the infirmary is also closed. Shall I place a call to the hospital in Portland?" This time, all five voices snapped.

_"No!"_

"No one knows about Eureka except those the government deems acceptable." Jo said, laying her head back as the last contraction passed. "How would it look if a Smart House called the Portland Hospital?"

Zoe nodded in agreement, taking a seat beside Jo. "Jo's right, AIDA. She's better off staying here. Besides, I'm sure Allison will be avaliable soon, and we can call her and she can come deliver Bug." Zoe took her friend's hand, letting her squeeze as another contraction wrapped around her belly like a corset and squeezed.

"M... Maybe we should go." Pilar stammered, eyes wide with fear at the pain contorting Jo's usually lovely features. Zoe shook her head as Zane settled on Jo's other side and rubbed her back.

"No. Her labor's already started. It's better if we're here to help if something goes wrong." Eventually, Jo looked up, locking eyes with Lucas.

"Lucas, would you... get me some... water, please?" The young man nodded, heading into the kitchen to fulfill Jo's request, Pilar following. Zoe turned to Jo, reaching up to brush her bangs off her forehead.

"I'm gonna go see how they're doing, make sure Lucas doesn't faint. Is there anything I can get you? A warm towel or... a pillow... something to eat?" Jo shook her head, giving her a friend a small, pained smile. With a quick squeeze to her shoulder, Zoe was up and joining her friends, who were arguing about what to do regarding Jo's labor.

"Guys, we can't leave her now." Both turned to Zoe as she cut into the conversation.

"Why not? She has Zane here, and AIDA is willing to help." Pilar said.

"We just... guys, she needs us. No matter how strong Jo is, she's _having a baby_. She's going to crumble during her labor, and she's going to need someone there to keep her calm and relaxed and grounded."

"That's why Zane's here-" Pilar replied. Lucas shook his head.

"No, Zoe's right. We need to stay here and help until we can get her to the infirmary after the cleaning. Once she's in Allison's care, then we can leave. But right now, we need to stay help her through this." Lucas said, grabbing the glass of water and heading back into the living room and over to Jo. After a moment, the girls followed.


	24. Chapter 24

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: And now, Bug makes her entrance... **

_September 11, 2008_

_6:50 A.M_

"Seven hours. Seven hours of early labor..." Jo choked out, as the last contraction released her and she greedily gulped in air. Zane gently rubbed her back, and she groaned, digging her nails into his hand as another contraction caught on to the heels of the one before.

"So when we last checked, she was four centimeters. Um, Jo, if you could-" The laboring mother did as told, spreading her legs as Zoe pulled on a pair of fresh latex gloves that hadn't been opened when they painted the nursery. She quickly checked her friend, her eyes widening in shock.

"Zo, what's wrong?" Lucas asked, as Pilar gently dabbed a damp cloth against Jo's forehead.

"Ah... she... she's..." Zoe swallowed. "Zane, remember when Allison said that Jo might need an episiotomy?" The young doctor nodded, as Jo squeezed his hand tighter, choking on an expletitive in the process.

"A what?" The laboring woman asked; her mind was too focused on getting Bug out of her body to care about fancy medical terms.

"It's an... incision that's made in the perineum to help deliver the baby's head. It can... a... avoid natural tearing."

Jo let out a scream, as wave after wave of pain washed over her, and Zoe's eyes widened in shock as she watched her friend's cervix dialate from nine to ten cenitmeters. "Zoe, finish what you were going to say!" Pilar said, over Jo's scream. She and Zane continued to rub her back as Lucas grabbed whatever he could to help prepare for the baby once she was born, on Zoe's command.

"I can't do this!" Jo choked out. She glanced at her husband, shaking her head, even as Zane told her softly that she could. "No... I can't... I can't have this baby, I can't!" Her protests were drowned out by another scream escaping her throat.

"What I was was going to say was... you don't need it, Jo. You're a hundred percent effaced and um... b... b... Bug's crowning. You're... you're in transition."

"How do you know that?" Jo asked, gulping in air.

"She's shaking, why is she shaking?" Pilar asked, fear in her voice. She gripped Jo's hand, letting the older woman squeeze when needed.

"I believe Jo's shaking is a symptom of transitioning from active labor into the pushing stage. It seems to be a natural part of labor, Pilar." AIDA replied. The teen gave the house a small smile.

"Great."

"Tesla's sex ed classes are _really_ thorough." Lucas replied, meeting Jo's eyes, as he handed Zoe a towel.

* * *

_10:15 AM_

"Jo, do you want to see your daughter?" Zoe asked, holding a mirror between her friend's legs.

"That's... Bug?" She asked, gasping for air. Zoe nodded, a small smile on her face.

"Yeah. That's Bug. She's starting to come out. Don't push, okay? Just... just let her come, okay? Can you do that for me, Jo? Just lean back and... and let your body push her out, don't... _don't_ push." Jo nodded, resting her head on Zane's shoulder. She met her husband's eyes, and he gave her a soft smile. "That's good, Jo, you're doing good, just let your body take control."

"Here that, love? You're doing good." Jo forced herself to breath deeply through her nose.

"It hurts."

"I know. And I'm so sorry." Zane brushed his knuckles against her cheek, and for a brief moment, she closed her eyes, letting his soft touch calm and relax her.

"Keep breathing, Jo. That's it. You're doing good." Zoe told her. "Just let your contractions push the baby out, that's good." Zoe's voice, along with Pilar's comforting hand rubbing her back and Zane's knuckles on her cheek, helped to relax her further. She winced, gripping Zane's other hand tighter in hers. After a moment, Zoe reached down.

"Zo, what are you doing?" Lucas asked, watching as his girlfriend gently cradling the baby's head between her hands, helping support as the baby continued to fully crown.

"Lay your hands on her perineum, Lucas, just... just hold her steady for me." Zoe replied. She didn't hear Lucas or Pilar, or Zane's questions, she only focused on helping Bug crown safely. "Keep holding, gently, Lucas! That's it, a little more... keep breathing Jo! Slow, deep breaths! That's it, keep going!"

"Zoe, I have to push. I have to. Please!" Zoe shook her head, meeting Jo's eyes.

"Not until I say, Jo! Don't push until I say! You keep breathing! Deep, slowly breaths, you hear? Deep, slow breaths." Jo unwillingly did as told, wimpering in pain as Bug's head continued to move out of her. "Jo, Jo, you have to fight the urge to push, okay?" A cry of pain escaped her friend's lips as the baby's head finally came out. "I need you to relax for a minute, okay? Lucas, hold her head, keep her steady." Lucas did as told.

"What's wrong? Is she okay?" Pilar asked, continuing her rubbing of Jo's back.

"There. The chord was around Bug's neck, but she's okay now." Zoe replied, glancing up at Jo. "Um... Jo, you can push now."

* * *

_10:26 A.M._

"One more, Jo, come on! One more _strong, good push_!" She didn't register anything other than her body having taken control and doing as it'd been designed. She barely registered Zane's voice, or Pilar's, or Lucas's. She didn't register Zoe's, though she knew the orders the teenager was giving her. Having moved into a squatting position not long after starting active labor, Jo found that she was having an easier time of dealing with labor. _"Come on, Jo, I need you to push!" _

* * *

_10:28 A.M._

The baby's wail was by far, the most beautiful sound Zane had ever heard.

His wife finally relaxed, looking up in time to see Zoe lay Bug, just born and still covered in blood and birth, in the towel Lucas held. Then, she turned back, gently taking care of the placenta as it was expelled from Jo's body. Once everything was taken care of, Zoe took the baby from Lucas, and got up. Zane and Pilar had since helped Jo settle on the sofa, and with a smile, Zoe went to her best friend. Zane gently nudged his wife's shoulder, causing her to turn.

"Jojo, say hello to your daughter." Zane whispered, as Zoe laid the baby in the deputy's arms. Pilar let out a soft cry of delight, and even Lucas couldn't contain a grin as Jo settled the baby in her embrace. The infant turned toward's Jo as she gently brushed her finger against the baby's cheek, and after a moment, Jo breathed,

"Hey there, Bug."

"That was... it... it was..."

"Insane." Pilar whispered when Zoe trailed off.

"Life-changing... and... inspiring..." Lucas added.

"Amazing." Zoe finally whispered. Zane shook his head, never taking his eyes off his newborn daughter. In a voice soft, comforting and filled with absolute awe at the miracle that had taken place just moments, hours, ago, he trumped them all with,

"Beautiful."

Jo tore her eyes away to briefly glance at her husband, but Zane was so focused on the baby, he didn't meet her gaze. Instead, he reached out, gently brushing his fingers over Bug's head, brushing against her black hair. A head of black hair, like her parents. Several moments passed, before the newborn opened her eyes, and Jo felt her breath catch. Zane's blue eyes stared back at her. "She looks like you." She whispered, unaware that she'd spoken. Zane chuckled silently.

"I'd say she looks just like her mother." Jo met his gaze, a smile stretching across her face. It took a few minutes before Jo realized that the kids were still there, all watching the new family with looks of awe and amazement on their faces.

"Thank you, all of you. You were absolutely amazing. Thank you for staying." Zoe gave her a small smile as Pilar glanced at the clock.

"Um... it... it's ten- forty. We should... probably go home and change and then... get to class."

"Do we have to?" Zoe asked, taking a seat in the armchair. That snapped Jo out of her awe, and she turned to the teens.

"What day is it?"

"September Eleventh. Why?" Lucas asked. Jo blinked tears away, glancing at Zane.

"And... what... what time did... Bug finally come out into the world?" She asked, never taking her eyes from her husband's. Zoe glanced at her boyfriend, before whispering,

"Um... te... ten-twenty-eight. Why? What's so special about the day and time?" Jo bit her lip. A silent conversation seemed to pass between the couple, before Zane said,

"September Eleventh was the day the World Trade Center was attacked, and... ten-twenty-eight is the time."

"Time?" Pilar asked.

"The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed at ten-twenty-eight A.M." Jo whispered, turning her gaze back to Bug. "Do you think they knew, Zane? Do you think they knew, and had a hand in-" Zane shrugged at Jo's soft mutterings. He thought a moment, before,

"I don't know, Jojo. I honestly don't know."

The sound of sirens soon filled the street, but nobody turned towards the noise. Instead, Zoe asked,

"What's her name?"

Zane raised his eyebrows as he stared at his daughter, whispering the word as though he'd never heard it before. "Name?" Zoe nodded.

"Yeah. You... can't expect to call her Bug for the rest of her life, can you? And... I don't think that constitutes as a name unless you want to do the whole celebrity-strange-baby-names thing, but if you do, then go right ahead, but-"

"Gwendolyn." Jo replied, cutting Zoe's rant short.

"What is it?" Lucas asked, moving closer to look at the baby. Jo trailed her finger down her daughter's arm, slipping her finger into her daughter's hand to study how tiny it was. She counted ten tiny, perfect little fingers and ten tiny, perfect little toes, and as the baby tightened her grip on her mother's finger, Jo whispered,

"After two of my best friends, that died in the towers. Her name, is Gwendolyn Cait."

* * *

The door swung open, and Allison, Carter, Tess, Fargo and a couple EMTs rushed into the house, carrying equipment, only to stop at the sight of Jo and Zane sitting on the sofa, a newborn baby girl in their arms. Pilar, Lucas and Zoe were gathered close, studying the baby and talking in hushed tones. After a moment, Carter stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Um... hello?"

The teens looked up, and Zoe rushed to her dad, stripping her gloves off as she did so. "Dad! What are you doing here?"

"We... we got a call from AIDA-" He started.

"I thought it necessary to let Dr. Blake and the others know what had happened, however, I could not reach them, and so left a message for each." AIDA said, entering into the conversation.

"We were... locked down in GD, and the story catchers that Tess had given everyone, had caused lacunar amnesia, because Fargo wiped the harddrive." Carter said. "We spent... the last few hours trying to stop a sonic cleaning and save the town. Ah... what were... you doing?" He asked, looking around at the bloody towels and chaotic mess that had resulted from Jo's unexpected, semi-planned home birth. Lucas spoke up, joining Zoe.

"We came back from Portland with our gifts last night and dropped them off, and stayed to put up so the nursery would be completely finished and ready, and Jo-"

"Went into labor." Pilar cut in. "And not just... kind of labor, like... labor, labor. Like have the baby labor. We stayed so she'd have help because we didn't know how long it would be until the sonic cleaning was done-"

"And her water broke at about... six-fifty-one or so in the morning and when the Bug started crowning-" Lucas cut in.

"So we helped Zane take care of Jo and make sure she was comfortable, and we talked her through the labor and kept her calm during the birth-" Pilar added.

"And then we got Jo into a squatting position and once Bug's head was out, Lucas and I removed the cord from around her neck and told Jo to keep pushing-" Zoe spoke up.

"And... about half an hour ago," Lucas said, glancing at the clock, noticing it was exactly eleven in the morning. "We ordered Jo to push and she pushed and..." He shrugged, a goofy grin on his face. "Zoe delivered the baby." All eyes turned to the blonde teenager, and all wore expressions of shock.

"Is she okay?" Carter asked, the first, surprisingly, to snap out of his shock. AIDA answered as he and the other adults made their way to the sofa where Jo and Zane were holding Gwen.

"I can assure you, Sheriff Carter, that Gwen is perfectly healthy. She is twenty-one inches long, and weighs eight pounds, seven ounces."

"She's a big baby!" Carter said, and instantly shrunk back as Jo's glare bore holes into his brain.

"I believe you are mistaken, Sheriff. Gwen is exactly within the acceptable weight for a newborn. Most babies born nowadays are between seven and nine pounds. Gwen's weight is perfectly acceptable." AIDA whirred; already, she was protective of the baby.

"Gwen?" Tess asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Gwendolyn." Jo replied, as she gently rubbed the baby's back. Neither parent had been paying attention to the conversation; they'd been to busy watching in awe as their daughter nursed as Jo's breast. Once the baby was once again cradled in her mother's arms, the others came over to meet the newest Eureka resident. "This, is Gwendolyn Cait Donovan." Jo forced herself to tear her eyes away from her daughter to meet Carter's gaze, and she gave him a soft smile.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Gwendolyn." Carter said, nodding to her. The baby fussed softly, and gently, Zane reached out, brushing his knuckle over his daughter's soft cheek.

"She's so wrinkly!" All three adults turned to Fargo, who stared at the baby with wide eyes. "But cute!" He amended. As Jo laid the baby in her father's arms, Zane spoke, addressing Tess, but never taking his eyes off his daughter.

"Hey Tess, when you get the story catchers working again, I think I know what memory to use." Jo looked up, catching Zane's gaze.

"Really? What one?" She asked softly. He returned her smile, and then, before kissing her softly, whispered,

"This one."


	25. Chapter 25

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

_December 19, 2008_

"I'm the luckiest man in the world, you know that, Jojo?" She 'hmmed' softly in response, settling in bed and quickly unbuttoned her top, guiding the baby's mouth to her nipple. "We have... the most beautiful baby girl in the entire world. Bug looks just like you." He whispered, settling next to her and wrapping an arm around her waist, until she was comfortably settled against his chest. Jo grinned, reaching down to take his hand. He winced; not realizing her own strength, Jo had squeezed Zane's hand so hard during active labor that she'd literally broken every bone in his hand- a fact not discovered until Allison xrayed it- and even months after, it was still tender.

"I'd say Bug looks like her father." Jo replied.

Though the name on her birth certificate, and her given name, was _Gwendolyn_, Jo and Zane couldn't shake the simple nickname. It had become such a part of their lives over those nine months, that neither parent could imagine _not_ calling their precious baby girl that. In the short few months since her birth, Jo and Zane had decided that Bug would just be her nickname; that_ she_ could- when she grew up- decide when and if she wanted to drop it and go by something else, or if she wanted to keep it. It was a nickname only used by family and close friends; everyone else called her Gwen or Cait or Gwendolyn. Jo always winced whenever she heard her daughter's full name; painful memories of missing persons fliers, a charred and dusty photograph of four girls, and a silver bracelet with small red stones lay just below the surface, always there, haunting her.

The baby watched her parents with bright, blue-grey eyes as she suckled contentedly at her mother's breast. Jo reached up, brushing a fingertip against her daughter's small hand, reveling in the softness of her skin. Her beautiful olive complexion was lighter than her mother's, and her black hair thick and soft, revealing her mother's rich Italian heritage, while her wide blue eyes and small features gave credit to her father's Russian and Irish ancestry. Zane pressed a kiss to Jo's hair, breathing in the sweet scent of the vanilla shampoo she'd used during her shower earlier. The two had seemed to fall into parenthood easily, adjusting to the sleepless nights and constant needs of newborn; most likely programmed into them on the day of the attack, when very few people were sleeping, and everyone was working to pull people from the rubble of what had once been the Twin Towers. Both had rarely left the house since the birth, preferring to spend as much time as possible with their daughter. When the baby finally finished nursing, Jo lay her against her shoulder, rubbing her back gently before laying her in Zane's arms and buttoning her top again.

Gently, Zane cradled his daughter in his arms, unable to take his eyes off the beautiful human being he and Jo had taken part in and created together.

"It doesn't seem real." She pulled her hair over her shoulder, working it into a quick, messy braid as she watched her husband with their child. "That she's here, in our arms."

"It's quite amazing, isn't it?" Jo asked, laying her head on Zane's shoulder as she watched her daughter. Gently, Zane brushing a finger over Bug's cheek, before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss gently against her forehead. "Creating a life." He chuckled, never taking his eyes off the baby in his arms.

"It's simple genetics, Jojo." He felt, rather than saw, her glare and grinned. "But yes, it is quite amazing."

* * *

Allison looked up as she took a seat beside Carter at the counter. With Jo and Zane on leave, things hadn't been any less crazy, and Carter had done everything he could, short of calling Jo and begging her to come in, to solve the cases he'd been given with little help. Although, the sheriff had to admit, the absence of his deputy was a huge blow to his sanity, and the office felt empty without Jo there, flipping through her copies of _Guns and Ammo_ or trading barbs with him over lunch. Zoe stood back behind the counter, staring at her phone. "Um... what's going on? Zoe okay?"

Carter set his cup down, saying,

"She's just a little stressed about her SCAT test results." Allison nodded, as Zoe brought over her coffee, catching her father's last words.

"Yeah, but... after helping Jo with the baby, I just... I know I want to be a doctor. I... I mean this... this test could tell me what kind of medicine I'm cut out for. I was thinking... you know, after delivering Bug... maybe... maybe obestrician, but... I mean, pediatrics could be cool..." She swallowed, reaching down to hit the button when she stopped. "I can't. Dad-" She held the phone out, and after a moment, Carter hit it. After several seconds, Zoe glanced at it, her face falling.

"A... Robotics?" She looked up at Allison and Carter, shock on her face. Allison took it, reading the results.

"Look at those data points. It's a... a perfect score, Zoe." She whispered, handing it back. The teen shook her head.

"No. I... it's got to be a mistake." Allison shrugged.

"The SCAT's are right ninety-nine point nine percent of the time." Zoe sighed, slipping her PDA into her pocket and returning to work.

"Whatever, I'll just... make it work. But I know that test is wrong." She glanced back Allison and her dad. "After helping Jo deliver Bug, I _know_ it's wrong."

* * *

"There is someone at the door, Zane. Shall I let them in?"

"Who is it?" Zane asked, as Jo came into the kitchen, grabbing the cup of hot tea AIDA had prepared for her. Bug lay with her head on her mother's shoulder, and after a moment, Zane pressed a kiss to both his wife's head and his daughter's. "Probably Carter or any of the other _thousand_ residents of this town, here to drop off gifts or meet Bug since she was born, which normally, I'm not opposed to, but there_ has_ to be a stopping point." He muttered, pressing another soft kiss to his daughter's head.

"Your family." AIDA said, pulling up the image on the wall. Jo reached up, shifting Bug into her arms and taking a seat at the counter, cradling her daughter as she shuffled through the mail.

"It's... Mom and Dad and..." Jo cried, unable to keep her tears from choking her.

"Shall I let them in?" AIDA asked, as Zane went to the door.

"Of course, AIDA. Why wouldn't you?" He asked, as the door swung open. Tessa was the first to greet the young doctor, dropping her bag in the doorway and wrapping her arms around her son in a tight hug as the others slipped into the house behind the pair.

"Auntie Jo!" Jo soon foun herself surrounded by her nieces and nephews, all eager for hugs and kisses and all craning to see the baby in her arms.

"Mommy! Auntie Jo had a baby!" Nicole cried, as her Aunt Amy and her mother, Louisa, made their way to Jo, exchanging kisses and hugs with her.

"Oh Jo, she's beautiful!" Louisa breathed, as Bug stared up at her. "How old is she?" Jo shifted her hold on her daughter and got up, going into the living room and laying Bug in the moses basket- another tradition in her family, it was customary for the firstborn child to recieve a moses basket as a gift, which would then be used by all children following- and gently pushed it with her foot. She turned to her sisters-in-law, wrapping them each in a tight hug.

"Three months on the eleventh." She replied, kneeling down and scooping Nicole into her arms.

"When did you have her, Auntie Jo? Why didn't you tell us you had a baby?" Gently, Jo brushed the girl's blond hair off her forehead, smoothing it back behind her face.

"I did. Those pictures I sent Mommy, remember those?" The child shook her head.

"Remember the photos Uncle Zane and Aunt Jo sent, Nik? Remember seeing how big her tummy was getting?" After a moment, the child nodded in rememberance. "Well, her tummy couldn't get any bigger, and the baby had to come out." The child nodded, turning her gaze back to the infant.

"What's her name?" Jo raised her eyebrows, glancing at her sisters-in-law.

"This is Bug?"

"That's a funny name for a baby." Lucca's oldest, Georgie replied, wrapping her arms around her mother's waist.

"It's her nickname." Jo replied gently, realizing her slip. "Her real name is-"

"Gwendolyn Cait Donovan." Everyone turned to see Zane enter from the kitchen, one of his young nephews piggybacking; Zane held a cup of coffee, which he handed to Tessa. "There's coffee and cider in the kitchen for any who wants it." He said, kneeling down and letting the little boy return to the floor. Then, he stood, going to Jo and wrapping his arms around her from behind and pressing a kiss to the top her head.

"I think she's beautiful, Jo, Zane." Amy said, taking a seat in an armchair after returning from the kitchen, cider in hand. Jo and Zane settled on the sofa; Jo curled in his arms. Gently, Zane nudged the basket, watching as his daughter examined everything with his wide blue eyes. "You never answered us. When was she born?" Jo and Zane shared a glance; gently, Jo reached out, stroking her husband's thigh nervously. A moment passed before Zane reached down and took her hand, stilling her nervous stroking, squeezing her fingers gently. Taking a deep breath, Jo replied,

"September Eleventh. That's why we didn't make the ceremony. We were... too busy bringing new life into the world." Jo joked lightly, despite the tears building and slipping from her eyes.

"What time was she born, Jo?" Louisa asked softly, taking a seat beside her sister-in-law on the sofa. Sniffling, the deputy whispered,

"Ten... ten-twen..."

"Ten-twenty-eight A.M." Zane finished for her, giving his wife's hand another gentle squeeze. A moment passed, before Tessa said,

"I think, that you've given them a wonderful tribute. They'll live on in your daughter." Zane gave his mother a small smile as Jo snuggled into his chest.


	26. Chapter 26

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

The new year brought a host of new experimental problems, as well as the return of Jo's older brothers, safe from war. Both were estatic to meet their niece, now seven months old. Jo and Zane had returned to work after the new year, which resulted in both new parents becoming anxious and worried; Bug hadn't taken it well either, becoming anxious around even Carter and Allison. Stranger anxiety had hit the baby and hit her hard. Carter had come up with the- at the time- obvious solution: leave her at SARAH with Zoe to babysit. But that plan had backfired, and so, reluctant to take any more time off, Jo had brought Bug with her, keeping a close eye on her daughter. Carter hadn't minded, he loved the raven-haired, blue-eyed, olive-skinned baby girl, and delighted playing peek-a-boo with her, while Jo was taking calls or filing reports.

She stepped out of the bathroom to the sound of Bug's high-pitched screaming, and the sight of Carter trying to calm the little girl down. "What is going on?"

"See, Bug, Mommy's right there!" Carter replied, pointing towards Jo. It took a moment for the Jo to realize that her daughter was suffering another bout of stranger anxiety, and quickly, she rushed to take her child from Carter's arms. As soon as the baby was within her mother's familiar embrace, she quieted down, and Jo shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Carter." He waved her off.

"Don't worry about it, Jo. I remember that stage."

"Does it get easier?" She asked, going to the door, Bug curled against her mother's shoulder. Carter chuckled, following; he grabbed the baby bag, shutting the office door behind him as they headed to Cafe Diem for lunch.

"Not in the slightest." As soon as the door closed behind them, all eyes turned to the newest member of Eureka, curled on Jo's shoulder. The baby began to fuss, but Jo's gently rubbing of her back soon quieted her down, and she gave Vincent a small smile as she caught sight of Zane and snuck over to his table. Her husband was working on something, clicking away on his tablet, unaware of his wife and daughter behind him. After a moment, Jo reached out, laying a hand over his eyes. He raised his gaze from his tablet, before feeling her lips on his.

"Careful, my wife might see you." He said, reaching up and removing her hand. "Ah... hey, Jo." He gave her a crooked smile as her mouth dropped mockingly. "Awkward." She wrinkled her nose.

"I will show you awkward." She replied, moving around and taking a seat on his lap. She shifted Bug on her shoulder and captured her husband's lips in hers, drinking him in. When they finally broke the kiss, Zane took Bug into his arms as Jo stood and took a seat beside him. He kissed his daughter gently on the forehead; she sat on his lap, reaching up to grab his nose and then his lips. He kissed her pudgy little hand before smothering her with kisses. The baby screeched in delight, and Jo heard several cameras click, but ignored them. After a moment, Zane settled the baby on the edge of the table, pushing his tablet and plate away. "Zane-"

"Oh it's all right, Jo." Vincent said, rushing over with her coffee and setting it in front of her. "It's perfectly okay. She is so adorable."

"Thanks, Vince." Zane replied, never taking his eyes off his daughter. The baby grabbed ahold of his ring finger, pulling his wedding ring off his finger to stick in her mouth. Jo's reflexes grabbed the ring out of her daughter's hand in seconds, and she slipped the ring back on Zane's finger. "No, no, no, baby girl. Daddy's wedding ring is _not_ edible." He said, as Jo laid a hand on his back. He quickly kissed his daughter's nose, and the baby giggled. The pair lost themselves in their baby girl, completlely unaware of the two men stepping into the cafe, dressed in miltary fatigue and carrying duffels.

"You two must be new. Welcome to Eureka. I'm Sheriff Jack Carter." The younger man shook his hand, glancing around the cafe.

"Lieutenant Luca Lupo and this is my brother, Ricco. We... we're looking for our baby sister, Josefina." Carter opened his mouth, before glancing towards a table in the far corner.

"She's... right over there." Ricco nodded to him, before he and Luca headed towards the table. They caught sight of the baby sitting on the table, giggling as her father played peek-a-boo with her. Zane pressed a kiss to Bug's chubby little hand as Jo reached out and played with the little girl's soft black curls. She gently adjusted the pink bow in her daughter's hair, and brushed the back of her finger against her daughter's cheek. Her dark gaze flicked upward, and she sucked in a beath.

"Jojo? Everything okay?" Zane asked, turning to his wife. She stammered softly, tears coming to her eyes.

"They're... my brothers." She whispered, getting up from the table. She moved past her husband's chair, as he scooped Bug into his arms, and watched as Jo rushed to her brothers, throwing her arms tight around Luca's neck, tears in her eyes. He held her close, burying his face in her ponytail. When she pulled away, she went to Ricco, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"God, Jo, look at you!" Ricco whispered, taking her face in his hands. "All grown up." Zane joined them, shifting Bug onto his other hip. The baby reached out for Jo, who took her with a kiss to her cheek.

"Bug, I want you to meet two very special people. These are my older brothers- this is Uncle Ricco, and Uncle Luca."

"God, Josie, you have a baby? When did you have a baby?" Zane chuckled softly at the surprise on Ricco's face, wrapping his arm around Jo.

"Seven months ago." He said, kissing Jo sweetly on the lips.

"She's beautiful." Luca said. "What's her name?" He silently held out his arms, and Jo handed her daughter over to him.

"Gwendolyn Cait." Jo replied, curling into Zane's side as Luca cuddled the little girl. "But we call her Bug. Have since she was in utero." Ricco laughed softly. "What's so funny, Ricco?" She raised an eyebrow, watching as the baby grabbed for Luca's nose, only to recieve a kiss.

"Only you would think to nickname your child 'Bug,' Josie. Only you."


	27. Chapter 27

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

His arms went around her, pulling her until her back was to his front, and he gently squeezed her waist, pressing a kiss to her hair. She glanced over her shoulder at him, as she picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip. When she set the cup down, he saw the opportunity and stole a long, chaste, sweet kiss, unaware that they were being watched. "Daddy!" The pair turned, to see Bug coming to Zane, arms out for him, her long black hair held back with a flower-y headband. Pulling away from his wife, Zane went to his child, scooping her up and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Hey Bug, there's my baby girl." The child giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. Zane buried his face in his daughter's dark hair, breathing in the heady scent of his little girl- a scent that only a father could truly identify. The child wrapped her small hand around her father's shirt, burrowing into her father's neck. Zane chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to his daughter's head as he turned to meet Jo's eye. She was on the phone, but gave him a small smile as she talked. Zane drank her in, letting his gaze move slowly up her long legs, stopping at her hips before moving up her waist. It still amazed him that his baby girl had at one point grown inside his wife before coming into the world. Now, that same baby girl clung to his neck, with his eyes and her mother's beautiful skin tone. She was every bit her mother's child, from her long, spindly legs- Giraffe legs, as Kevin Blake so aptly called her- to her slightly upturned button nose and high cheekbones.

He sighed. How had he gotten so lucky? How had he ended up married to the most beautiful woman in Eureka? How had they ended up creating the most beautiful little girl in Oregon? Okay, that one he knew, but the point still stood- what had given him reason to grab her hand that long ago Tuesday morning in Downtown Manhattan as the towers fell? What had justified that he, a small-time hacker from Boston with a doctorate in particle physics, who'd been expelled from every prestigous college in America, end up in the strangest small town in the world, married to the most striking, most intelligent, most loving and amazing woman in the world, with a beautiful little girl to raise? How the hell had he gotten lucky?

When they returned to Jo's side, she was getting off the phone with Carter. "What was that about?" Zane asked, as the child reached for Jo, who took her, balancing the black-haired little girl on her hip.

"Carter wanted to know if we wanted to join him, Henry and Allison for lunch." Zane nodded, glancing at Bug.

"Sounds like a plan. What do you say, Bug? Shall we go have lunch with Uncle Carter, Uncle Henry and Aunt Allison?" The child nodded.

* * *

"There they are! Jo, Zane, over here!"

But before Jo and could take a step, someone had their arms around her, holding tight to her slender body. She stumbled back, briefly loosing her balance, before Zane's strong hand on her back steadied her. Eventually, she managed to pull away. "A... Zoe? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for Spring Break, silly!" The teen- who had left for Harvard the year before- replied, tossing her head. Her short bangs were tucked behind her ear, and she beamed at Jo, looking for all the world like a girl discovering herself at college. "How have you been?"

"Good." Jo replied, suddenly unsure of how to talk to the teen. "We... we're good. Just... dealing with the usual normal Eureka and raising Bug." She said, curling into Zane's side. It was then that Zoe's gaze shifted to the child settled on her father's hip.

"Oh my God, is this _Bug_?" Zoe asked, her mouth dropping at the sight of the little girl, who had, when she'd left, been a toddler, just learning how to walk with her parents' help. Zane nodded, shifting his child.

"This is Bug." The young father replied proudly, turning his gaze to the child. "Do you know who this is?" Bug shook her head. Zane's mouth dropped in mock surprise. "Yes, you know who this is! This is Zoe. Remember Zoe?" The child leaned against her father, curling into his shoulder, burying her face in his shirt."No? You don't remember Zoe? You don't remember your godmother?" The little girl shook her head, a small smile on her face. "Zoe's your godmother. Remember? No?" The child shook her head again. "No? You don't remember?" He sighed, rolling his eyes. "She remembers, just give her time." Zane chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "She's a little shy."

"_Shy_?_ Bug_? No way. She is _too much_ your child, Zane." Zoe replied, as she led the small family back to the table in the corner.

"There _are_ elements of her mother in her; she's not entirely me." He replied, pulling his chair out and taking a seat, settling his daughter on his lap. "Henry went off to NASA last year, and when he came back, Bug refused to go give him a hug. She hid behind me the entire time."

"Yeah, and afterwards, all she did was talk and giggle during dinner." Jo replied, taking a seat. Zoe chuckled softly as Zane slung his arm over his wife's chair.

"That's because Carter gave her chocolate." Zane grumbled, turning a glare to the sheriff. Carter set his drink down, a look on his face that was every bit the wounded puppy.

"One time and you won't let me live it down!" Jo rolled her eyes, inserting herself into the arguement before it could become just that.

"Yeah, but Carter, _you_ did not have to deal with her when we got home. AIDA finally had to crush baby aspirin into her warm milk to get her to go to sleep." As Vincent brought over their drinks and took their orders, he stopped, eyes going wide as the child buried her face further in Zane's shirt.

"Oh my, is that Bug? She's gotten so big!" Jo and Zane shared a confused glance. Zane opened his mouth to speak, shut it, tried again, and finally shook his head with a sigh, sitting back and running his fingers through his daughter's long black hair.

"Uh, Vincent... you saw her last night. Remember?" Jo asked slowly, grabbing her cup and taking a sip. Vincent pulled himself to his full height.

"You wouldn't believe how fast children grow, Jo." He replied, heading back into the kitchen. Jo chuckled nervously; she didn't exactly know how to respond to that before the thought popped into her head.

"Actually, yeah, we do. _We_ were the ones who saw her go from basically zygot to newborn in a matter of nine months. _I'm_ the one who carried and gave birth to her!" Jo replied, raising her voice. Bug whimpered, covering her ears at her mother's raised pitch. She turned to her daughter, sighing and reaching out for the child, who clambered into her lap and curled into her chest, burying her face in her mother's shirt. Jo ran her fingers through her daughter's hair, until the door opened and Fargo's distinct voice reached everyone's ears. And then, Bug was up and off her mother's lap in seconds, racing towards Fargo, throwing her arms around his legs with a cry of, _"Fargo!"_

Once she was gone, Jo turned back to the conversation at hand. "Sorry, I wasn't listening." Zoe waved her away with a smile.

"I just said, that she's come a long way since the night she was born, hasn't she?" Jo chuckled softly, propping her chin in her hand as Zane laid a hand on her back. "She wasn't in that big of a hurry to come out into the world, and we... well, you, basically had to force her out-"

"Zoe! Not over lunch!" Carter cried. Zane chuckled, rubbing his wife's back.

"You sound like me. That's... something I would say. Well, inappropriate-wise." Zane said, thinking.

"The only difference between you and Zoe is that while Zoe say, you, Zane Matthew, say and_ do_." Jo replied, glancing at her husband over her shoulder. He glared at her, and she returned it, reaching down to pinch his thigh in retaliation for him doing the same to her side. After a moment, Zoe said,

"I'm just saying, Dad, that Bug doesn't seem to be in a hurry to grow up. She seems pretty... calm, compared to most children. But then again, that could just be because of who her parents are." Jo chuckled, glancing over her shoulder to see Fargo having an animated conversation with the little girl.

"She is. She flits along, smelling the roses, enjoying each moment, and is never in a hurry for anything except_ food_." Jo replied, pointedly. "Just like her father." Zane scoffed gently, glancing at his wife.

"Now that is not-" But Vincent brought lunch as Fargo and Bug joined the group, and Zane's attention was diverted. "Thank God, I'm starving."

Jo sat up as Vincent set her plate in front of her, held out a hand, palm up, towards her husband, and with raised eyebrows, said, "See?" The _'Just like her father'_ was heavily and obviously implied. Laughter surrounded the table, and Zane glared at his wife, taking a sip of his coffee as Jo took a bite of her salad. Zoe watched the pair, noticing how neither had had the chicken, unlike her and Allison.

"Why aren't you two-" She started, but Carter interrupted.

"Mm... Jo and Zane eat veal, beef, turkey, and any other meat except chicken." Zoe and the others turned to the pair, wide-eyed. "Because chickens are jammed together in a windowless warehouse, wading in feces until-" He sliced a finger across his throat. "they get decapitated. Or pecked to death. When you eat that chicken, you're eating all that hate."

Jo gave the sheriff a look of admiration- a rarity for the deputy- and Zane chuckled softly. "I'm surprised you remembered, Carter." The older man glared at him.

"You drilled that into my brain, and after the whole GABA lowering incident, I've learned my lesson. Never cross you unless I want to learn unnecessary facts."

"When did you two stop eating chicken?" Zoe asked, taking a bite of her sandwich, and losing everything but the meat and bread.

"After the towers fell, back in oh one." Zane replied, setting his cup down. "The markets downtown, had fresh chicken out to sell that morning and... by noon... it was covered in dust."

"_Everything_ was covered in dust." Jo cut in, taking a sip of her drink. "Including you and me. Including every surviving police officer, firefighter, EMT, student, teacher, pedestrian and tourist alike. Dust and debris and fine, granulated, atomized human beings- it was _everywhere_. We were washing it out of our clothing and our hair and off our skin for weeks after. Sweeping it off sidewalks and streets, vacuuming it out of stores and cars, mailboxes... digging through it to... find anything we could for family members to bury, or keep as momentos. Scraping the remains of the jumpers off the sidewalks were easier to deal with than digging through that dust, pulling out a hand... a leg... an ear, a foot... at least with the jumpers, they be pulverized, but in one piece; at least there'd be something for their families to bury." The table fell silent, listening as Jo talked, unsure of how to respond to the wealth of information on that tragic day that Jo was providing. Zane spoke up; having dealt with his wife's blue funk's before, he was prepared to deal with this one, but he wasn't going to like it.

"Don't do this, Jo." His voice was soft, protective as he leaned towards her. "Don't take us back there. Not today. Not here. Not now. Not in front of Bug." She turned to look at him.

"_Fine_, then if _you_ don't go back there,_ I_ won't go back there." He sighed, swallowing. She was gearing for a fight, and he wasn't going to give her one. They'd gone through too much in the last few years, suffered every fight and row a couple could have, and he wasn't going to give in just because she was itching to beat something to a bloody pulp.

"Jo-"

"It's not that simple, _is it,_ Zane? To say, but not do? To_ not go back_ to that day that destroyed our lives." Zane took a deep breath, meeting her gaze. He recognized the haunted look in his wife's eyes; he wore it too, no matter how he tried to hide it. "You make it sound like you've moved on, but_ I_ know the truth. I know you haven't; I know you never will, because no one- _no one_ who survived that, who didn't watch it on TV, but_ lived_ it, ran from the dust cloud and dug through the rubble and breathed in that_ toxic_ air- will move on! No matter what we do, it'll always be with us, hovering over our shoulders, haunting us. Until the day we die."

"Don't, Jo. Don't do this. Don't dig up old memories that-"

"That wake me up in the middle of the night, because you're holding me down, telling me not to breathe the dust in?" She snapped.

"What about you, Jo? I'm not the one screaming and crying in my sleep, trying to run back into the building because I have a death wish! I just wake up and try to keep you calm! Try to keep you from hurting me or hurting yourself or hurting Bug!" She glared at him, struggling to control her temper. Zane should have kept his mouth shut; he knew better, but he was so angry with Jo, he wasn't thinking when the next words out of his mouth were, "I'm not the one who tried to jump from the roof of my apartment building a week after the towers fell; who thought commiting suicide would erase the _guilt_ of stepping out of that elevator; who decided that joining her three best friends in death would be a better choice than taking a chance on love and a new life. I am _not_ the one, who let go of that ladder that night, Josefina._ I_ am the one, who grabbed you and pulled you back onto the roof. I _prevented_ your suicide. I didn't aid you in it."

He jerked back; his cheek becoming red as her palm connected with his face. Without another word, Jo tossed down her napkin, got up, and left, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

"I've never heard them talk about it, Dad. Not like that. They mentioned it in passing but never... never talked about it at length."

"What Jo and Zane went through in New York, it's... it's one of those things you don't forget. One of those things that you can never unsee." Carter replied.

The small group sat around the table at Cafe Diem, having lost their appetites after the arguement resulted in Jo storming off. Bug had climbed into Allison's lap and buried her face in her jacket; though the child was used to her parents' arguements, their raised voices and angry tones didn't make it any easier to listen to them. After Zane left with Bug, who's arms were latched tightly around his neck, the group had fallen into silence, unsure of how to handle the arguement they'd been witness too. "It's like war; what vetrans go through in war is something so traumatic, they can't talk about it without reliving those memories. And with a tragedy like this- where Jo lost friends," Carter sighed. "She may never be able to talk about it, not in the way we would want them too."

* * *

"We've done a number on each other, haven't we?"

She didn't look up, just took another sip from her wine glass. Dressed in only a brown satin pajama tank, and a pair of light pink boyshorts, her hair down around her shoulders, she pulled her knees to her chest and swirled her wine around in the glass. Zane stood in the shadows of their living room, having just put Bug to bed. He nodded slowly, answering his own question, before joining her on the sofa.

"Over the years, yes, we have." He replied, pouring a glass and taking a sip. She swallowed, watching him, her dark eyes taking in the weariness in his blue eyes, the wrinkles in his forehead from worry, the way this national tragedy had stolen a part of his innocence, like it had stolen hers.

_ Jesus, Mary, Joseph, we have done a number on each other over the years. We've pushed and pulled, attacked and retreated, destroyed only to build up again. The only difference is that now we have Bug, and she needs her parents, not the shells that have been raising her the last year._ "I... I'm sorry." She whispered, glancing up at him. Tears brimmed her eyes. A moment passed in silence, before he set his wine glass on the table and got up, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. Silent, he led her upstairs, shutting the bedroom door softly behind him, before tugging her towards the bed and pulling her onto the blankets. She lay, snuggled in his embrace, against his chest, breathing in that familiar scent of Vinspresso, aftershave and melded metal from his lab.

"I love you, you know that?" He whispered, nudging his nose against hers, stealing a soft kiss before pressing one to her forehead. She met his gaze, searching his eyes as she reached up, brushing her fingers over his cheek tenderly. She swallowed the lump in her throat, reaching up and tracing his features; he closed his eyes, letting her small, lithe fingers move over his features. When her fingers brushed over his lips, he pressed a kiss to each one. She propped herself onto her elbow, dropping her hand as his eyes opened. A moment passed as he also propped himself onto his elbow, mirroring her, before he asked, "What do you want from me, Jo?"

She searched his face, drinking him in silently, thumbing his lower lip, before she wrapped her hand around his head, tangling her fingers in his hair, and whispered, "I want to know that you'll never forget me." She whispered, trailing her finger down his cheek.

"Never." He stared at her, confused for a moment, before she pulled his head down to hers and they lost themselves in a passionate kiss.


	28. Chapter 28

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

_Founders' Day, 2010_

The sound of forties swing music wafted through the crowd; people in costumes wandered about, looking at old inventions and sipping Cold War Cappucinos or snacking on Atomic Missile finger sandwiches. Children played double dutch or other forties-era games, and Henry worked on the Founders' Car, that had resided in the museum since last Founders' Day; Kevin was tinkering with the Einstein-Grant Bridge Device, in his own little world. Bug rushed ahead, ducking through the crowd, leaving her father back with Carter. Jo was nowhere to be seen, most likely with Allison and Jenna.

"Bug! B- Gwendolyn! Get back here!"

"So, how does it feel, being the father of a two-year-old?" Carter asked, as they wandered downtown, looking over the experiments. Zane chuckled.

"Well... it's..." He glanced at Carter. "Is it gonna end soon?" The sheriff chuckled at the panic in the young father's face.

"It's end-about the time she turns three; if not, it'll go on until she's sixteen. Trust me, you better hope it ends at three." The younger man nodded, taking a sip of his drink.

"Carter, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." The sheriff turned to him, waiting for the younger man to speak. As Zane opened his mouth-

"Daddy!" Bug came rushing back, holding a cookie. She held it out to Zane, shook his head, scooping the little girl into his arms and kissing her cheek. "Cookie, Daddy!"

"No thank you, sweetheart. Daddy's talking to Uncle Carter." As Fargo passed in costume, Bug reached out for him, and Zane let her tumble into Fargo's arms with a giggle. "Go see Uncle Fargo! Would you mind watching her?" The other scientist shook his head, and with a wave, the two left, heading to look at the car Henry was fixing.

"Come on, let's go talk." Zane followed Carter, to the green, and the two took seats on the benches; Zane took a deep breath, turning to the sheriff as he said,

"Jo... Jo told me last night that... that she doesn't want me to forget her. I... I know it sounds silly, but... but should I be worried? We... we've talked and been open and honest with each other, but... should I be worried that she'll try suicide? Like she did not long after the towers fell? Carter, I... I don't know what to do. If she's suicidal, how do I help her? What do I do? How do I... keep her from remembering?"

Carter sighed, setting his cup down. He rested his elbows on his knees, taking a deep breath as he thought of what to say. Carter was used to Jo's off days, her rants, her tears. Those two years before Zane had come to town, Carter had sat beside her, rubbing her back and letting her cry whenever she mentioned her three best friends. Yes, he was well acquainted with Jo's fits.

"You don't, plain and simple. You can't. Just like you can't keep yourself from remembering what you lived through that day. Zane, you have to focus on the positives. You have to... to look at what you have, and appreciate that. You and Jo have each other; you have Bug, who is the sweetest, most beautiful little girl in Eureka, you have your work and your life here, and family and friends who love you. Zane, you and Jo have so much, so much good, that you can't- you _cannot_- focus on what happened that day. Otherwise, it'll tear you apart."

Zane nodded, giving him a small smile. "Thank, Carter."

* * *

"Morning, Babe."

Zane looked up; instead of finding Jo at her desk, she was standing in her cell. A moment passed, as his gaze drank in the decorations- just like the cell had been after he'd gotten ahold of Carter's credit card information. The lamp, the chairs, the blankets and pillows. And Jo. She stood in her deputy uniform, her long dark hair down around her shoulders. "Where's Bug?" She asked. He shrugged.

"With her Uncle Fargo." Jo nodded, relieved. "Uh... Jo, what're you doin'?"

She swallowed. "Reminding you of how we first met." He wandered into the room, glancing around.

"I'm_ pretty sure_ it was the other way around." He said, looking to her desk. "You were at your desk, and _I_ was the cell." She chuckled softly, shaking her head.

"... I got you something." And then she turned, going to the small table and picking something up. Zane watched her with curiosity in his eyes; she turned back, holding a box, and a grin tugged at his lips as he read the familiar name.

_Lisa's Lingerie._

"Did you now?" He asked, taking the box. He chuckled softly, turning from her and studying the box. A lot of memories were associated with the box; good memories, fun memories. "And... let me guess. You wanted me to try this on for you?" He teased, removing the lid. He set the top on her desk, and slowly pushed the pink tissue aside. His mouth dropped, but he didn't say a word as he pulled out what appeared to be an eyeglasses case in red plaid print. As he set the bottom of the box on top of the first half, he heard the cell door open, followed by Jo's soft footsteps. The door latched closed with her soft,

"Something like that."

When he turned back to her, it was to find his wife kneeling before him, eyes wide and filled with tears. "Jojo-"

"I... I know I've been... difficult to deal with the last few weeks and I'm sorry about that. I just... I want you to know that you're right. The past is the past, and we need to look towards the future. Because our future is so bright, so absolutely bright, and beautiful. And I want to share every moment with you, like when Bug came into our lives."

As she spoke, Zane had opened the case. His eyes widened at the sight of the pregnancy test nestled within, and the one little word that stared back at him.

"You've... already made an honest woman out of me. You made sure of that years ago." She took a deep breath. "So, what do you say?"

_Pregnant._

His blue eyes flicked to his wife, saw the anxiety on her face.

"Zane?"

He removed the test from the case, setting the small silver case on the desk with the box.

_Pregnant._

Slowly, he met her gaze. "Will you... do it again? Make an honest woman out of me?" Her tears fell as he glanced behind him. And then, he went to her, helping her up and wrapping his arms tight around her waist. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent, with a soft,

"Absolutely."

Her arms tightened around his neck, and she pressed a kiss to his neck, whispering through her tears,

"Promise you'll remember me."


	29. Chapter 29

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

A scream woke Zane, and he bolted up in bed. His first thought was of Bug, and he climbed out of bed, rushing down the hall to comfort his daughter. It was only then, that he realized he wasn't in his home. Instead, he was his mother's townhouse in Boston; it was four on September eleventh. In little under four hours, he would be in New York with his family, and they would be attending the ceremony to commemorate the anniversary.

"Zane! Are you okay?" He turned, to see Allison come out of a room, Carter in tow. Slowly, others came out- Henry, Fargo, Zoe, Pilar, Lucas, Kevin, with Jenna, his mother, all watching him with worry in their eyes.

"Bug. Where's Bug?"

"Um... Bug?" Zoe asked, as Zane pushed past her, heading further down the hall.

"Yes, Bug! My daughter, Gwendolyn! I... I woke up to her screaming... I... I didn't want to wake Jo, so I figured I'd come take care of her and I can't find her!" Everyone shared confused glances, before Zoe slipped into his room and turned on the light.

"Zane, there's no one in your room."

"What?" He moved the girl out of the way, going back into his room, only to find it empty. But he could smell her vanilla shampoo, so she had to be here, she just had to be. "No, no, that's not right! That's not- she's here!" He cried, pulling on his shoes and grabbing a coat. Then, he rushed down the stairs, heading for the door, Carter and Henry following hot on Tessa's heels, who was chasing after her son like the devil was after her. "I just have to find her!"

"Zane!" The door slammed shut, and Tessa slipped in front of it, blocking her son's exit. "You have to sit down, okay? You have to go back to bed and get some sleep-"

"Not until I find Jo, Mom! Once I find Jo and Gwen, then I will go back to bed, but I have to find them first!" He cried, reaching for the door. Carter and Henry's strong embraces stopped him, and eventually, they managed to wrestle him into a chair. As Allison quickly fixed some tea, Zoe came over to Tessa, laying a hand on her arm.

"Is Zane okay?" She asked. The older woman glanced back at her, laying a hand over hers. She sniffled.

"He gets like this, every year, on the anniversary. Last year, I found him sitting on the stoop, a cup of coffee in his hands, waiting."

"For who?" Zoe asked, as Tessa led her into the living room. Zane's mother took a deep breath as she grabbed tissue and blew her nose.

"For her." She said, folding the tissue.

"Who was she?" Zoe asked, as they took a seat in the living room, Lucas, Pilar, Fargo, Kevin and Jenna joining them. Tessa took a deep breath, swallowing her tears.

"She... she was a girl that Zane met in a coffee shop that morning. In the Army, said she... was shipping out the next week and... that she and her friends were spending one last week in New York before seperating." Pilar reached out, taking Tessa's hand and squeezing gently. "She... gave him her number and told him to call her... and left. Went up to Windows on the World with her friends for breakfast, when the plane hit." Fargo closed his eyes, swallowing his horror. "Zane rushed to help- tried to go in to save her..." She got up, going to the bookshelf and pulling out a small box. Returning to her place on the sofa, she removed the lid, lifting out several small trinkets, burned and charred and warped.

As the other looked through them, they recognized a silver bracelet with small rubies in it, a burned and twisted earring, the name tag of a worker from Windows, what appeared to be the remains of a necklace with blackened turquiose stones, and a wallet. Inside the wallet, were several credit cards, melted together, and three photographs, charred and burned; one of four young women women, gathered together in front of a window, with the New York skyline stretching behind them, one of four little girls in Halloween costumes, obviously the four young women as children, and the last one, of one of the women, a striking dark-haired, dark-eyed, olive-skinned beauty with three young men who looked like her. Apparently, her brothers; all four were dressed in military uniform, with their arms slung around each other, grinning at the camera. Zoe turned it around, reading the neat, tidy scrawl, still readable all these years later-

Davie, Ricco, Jo, Luca.

"Jo?" Tessa nodded.

That was here." She replied. "after the towers collapsed..." She glanced back towards the kitchen. "Zane helped search the rubble. They found nothing of the four girls except these few things... and then they found her body, or, what they thought was her body- they couldn't be sure. All they knew, was that ." She choked out a sob, unaware that Carter, Henry and Allison had come in to listen. "Splashed over the concrete like red paint... she was..."

Fargo had turned the TV on, in the middle of the two thousand two_ Nine-Eleven_ documentary. No one heard Zane enter the room, they only focused on the firemen on the screen, of the sound of bodies hitting the ground. "_'You don't see it, but you know what it is. And you know that every time you hear that crashing sound, it's a life which is extinguished. It's not something you can get used to, and the sound was so loud.'_"

"The people above the impact zone chose to take some sense of fate into their own hands... some of them chose to..." Tessa stopped, as the fireman on screen summed it up.

_"'I just remember looking up, thinking, 'How bad is it up there that the better option is to jump?'_"

Wiping tears off her cheeks, Tessa whispered, "I hope she took some... control of her own fate, and decided to jump. Even a lonely, ten second journey towards the ground is better than suffocating on toxic smoke or dieing in the collapse..."

"She didn't jump, Mom." Everyone turned to see Zane, standing in the living room, his eyes on the screen. "Not Jo. Not my Jojo." Tessa set the box on the table and got up, going to him.

"Oh Zane, sweetheart, I... she's gone. This fantasy of yours... sweetheart, she didn't survive. No one, could survive a fall from that height. Not even her."

Zane shook his head, giving his mom a soft smile. "You're wrong. You're all wrong."


	30. Chapter 30

**R****if****iuto****: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: And now, the final chapter, and Reality C.**

_September 11, 2011_

Zoe took Zane's hand, squeezing softly as they listened to the names being read. Then, she let go and wandered around, looking at the names engraved within the new memorial. The beautiful black stones held several names, those killed in the South Tower, the Pentagon, Flight Ninety-Three and Flight One Seventy-Five on the south memorial, and those of the North Tower and Flight Eleven on the north memorial. Huge waterfalls rained out the inside, and at night, the names were lit up from underneath.

"It's beautiful, isn't it Jack?" Carter nodded as Allison shifted Jenna onto her other hip; the child reached down, attempting to touch the cool stone. A moment passed, before Allison let her, holding tight to her daughter as the child ran her small fingers over the cold stone, spelling out one of the thousands of names etched into the granite. The sheriff nodded, pressing a kiss to Allison's head before moving along the wall. He stopped, running his fingers over the names, wondering about the lives lost, the lives that never got to be lived.

"Excuse us." He turned, to see an older man in military dress behind him. Two other young men in the same type of dress, were with him, as were who appeared to be their wives and children. "We just... want to see my daughter." Carter nodded, stepping to the side with a soft,

"Sorry." The older man give him a soft, sad smile.

"It's okay." Carter watched as the family gathered around the stone, leaving flowers and crosses, doing rubbings or tracing the names.

"You want to put that there? For Auntie? Let's stick it so it stands and it can wave in the wind." He watched one young mother help her child rest a small, American flag into the grove of the name of the girl's aunt, and after a moment, he sighed.

"If you... don't mind my asking, was it just your daughter?" The older man, who'd been tenderly tracing his daughter's name, looked up; tears filled his dark eyes, and he sniffled.

"No. Her and her four friends. They were trapped, in Windows on the World, the restaurant on the hundred-sixth floor, planning on having breakfast together, before they went their seperate military paths. One of them," He gently traced the top name of the quintet, "was the hostess for Windows. They were as much a part of our family as she was." Carter watched as tears slid down his cheeks. "Best friends. They died together, and they're at peace together."

"Did you... ever find her body?" It was then that one of the younger men spoke up, having heard Carter's questions.

"What are you, a reporter?" The sheriff shook his head.

"No, just... just a curious bystander, wanting to... to know more about the people, and the lives they led. That's all." The younger man studied him for a moment, silent, before,

"No. We never found her body. They thought they'd found her, that she was one of those who jumped..." He struggled to get control of his tears, but ended up wiping a few off his cheeks anyway. "If she did, I hope to God that He took her quick, before she hit the ground. And if she didn't-" He glanced at his sister's name, before glancing at Carter. "Then I hope she didn't suffer, that none of them suffered, that they were unconscious before the tower collapsed, and that they felt no pain." The sheriff nodded, reaching out to shake the man's hand.

"I'm sorry for your lost. It must be hard, reliving this tragedy year after year. And, I'm sure the relentless coverage doesn't make it any easier. I hope the memorial helps."

"Thank you. And... it does. Having a place for her to finally rest... we have her grave in the plot, but... this is nice. It puts her with the people she loves." After a moment, the man and his relatives moved on to visit with other families who had lost loved ones in the attacks. Carter watched them go, before turning to the five names on the stone.

"Dad?" He turned, to see the others gathered around Zoe, waiting. "Who were you talking to?" Carter thoguht a moment, turning to trace the name of the girl who's father had just left.

"He just... he lost his daughter in the attacks. Her name is... is carved on this memorial." He replied. Fargo looked around, running his fingers over the nearest stone.

"It sad. How many lives were lost, how many never got to experience marriage or children or... life." Allison laid a hand on his shoulder as Zoe asked,

"Which one, Dad?" He motioned Zoe over, and pointed to the name, as the names of those killed continued to ring out around them. Tessa looked up, to see the young Army medic, at the podium. Zane was talking to another man who'd also helped search for bodies; she prayed he wouldn't be listening as the man at the podium spoke. The young man in military dress held a portrait on his sister, in a black frame. She'd seen the photograph as the man had wandered around, reading names, and even from this distance, Tessa knew that the woman in the portrait was the same one in the charred photograph Zane had found and kept. That her name would soon be spoken, and she swallowed, as Zane turned towards the podium and the young man talked about his little sister.

"And I read for my baby sister, Sergeant Josefina Charlotte Lupo, United States Army. You were my partner-in-crime all through childhood, my best friend. Your light, your bright, beautiful light, was extinquished that bright Tuesday morning, taken from the our family too soon, sending us into darkness. The world is a much dimmer place without you in it to tell jokes and dance. Dad, Ricco, Davie, your sisters, nieces, nephews and everyone who knew you, love and think of you every day. We try to bring as much light into this world as we can, and we hope, Josie-Lou-Who, that we are making you proud. I love you, little sister."

Zane shook his head, not feeling his mother's hand on his arm as he moved around the north memorial. He didn't hear Carter, didn't hear Zoe, didn't notice Lucas and Fargo try to stop him as he finally made it to the correct panel. "I'll show you! It's her four friends, not-" He stopped as his eyes scanned the list of names. No, it couldn't be. It just... it _couldn't_ be. He crumpled, tears sliding down his cheeks as he read his Josefina's name.

_Jadie Blythe_

_Tamsen Blythe_

_Caitlan Hertz_

_Gwendolyn Rowley_

_Josefina Lupo_


End file.
